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骤然 (zhòu rán) — suddenly, abruptly

Definition

骤然 (zhòurán) is a written/narrative adverb for a sudden, abrupt change of state — more formal and literary than 忽然, with a stronger sense of abruptness than 顿时.

adverb
suddenlyabruptly

Examples

  • 骤然，。
    Lǎo shī zhòu rán wèn le yí gè hěn nán de wèn tí, quán bān dōu lèng zhù le.
    The teacher suddenly asked a very hard question, and the whole class was stunned.
  • ，骤然，。
    Bǐ sài kāi shǐ hòu, fēng zhòu rán tíng le, hú miàn píng jìng dé xiàng jìng zi.
    After the match started, the wind suddenly stopped, and the lake was as calm as a mirror.
  • 骤然，。
    Tā zhòu rán zhàn qǐ lái, yí jù huà yě méi shuō jiù lí kāi le fáng jiān.
    He suddenly stood up and left the room without saying a word.

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.

骤zhòusudden
然ránsuffix

骤 suggests suddenness, and 然 gives the sense of suddenly.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 驟; 骤 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
馬馬mǎhorse
Sound part声符shēngfú
聚
聚jù驟zhòu
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 驟 uses 馬 to show the idea of a horse and 聚 for its sound; the simplified 骤 is a later shorthand.

Open 骤 →

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 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.