轰然 (hōng rán) — with a loud crash or bang; thunderously

Definition

An adverb used in writing to describe a sudden, very loud crash or bang — almost always paired with verbs like 倒塌, 倒下, or 倒下 to describe something large collapsing thunderously.

adverb
with a loud crash or bangthunderously

Examples

  • 轰然。
    Nà zuò dà lóu hōng rán dǎo tā le.
    That building collapsed with a loud crash.
  • ，轰然。
    Suí zhe yī shēng jù xiǎng, qiáng bì hōng rán dǎo xià.
    With a loud noise, the wall crashed down.
  • 轰然，。
    Dà shù hōng rán yī shēng dǎo zài dì shàng, jīng fēi le niǎo qún.
    The big tree fell to the ground with a crash, startling the flock of birds into flight.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

轰hōngbang/loud sound
然ránlike that

“轰” suggests a loud bang and “然” points to the way it sounds, so it means with a loud crash.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 轟; 轰 is its simplified writing.

  • 車車jūcart
  • 車車jūcart
  • 車車jūcart

The traditional form 轟 puts three 車 (cart) together; 轰 is a simplified shorthand.

Open 轰 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
火火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
肰
肰rán然rán
Same sound today

然 is made from 肰, which gives the sound, and 火, which shows fire, matching the old sense 'to burn'.

Open 然 →

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