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了然 (liǎo rán) — to understand clearly; to be clear about something

Definition

了然 (le) is a more literary/formal way to say 'clearly understand,' usually in set phrases like 一目了然 or 心中了然. Unlike colloquial 明白, it emphasizes that something has become clear in the mind rather than active comprehension.

verb
to understand clearlyto be clear about something

Examples

  • 了然。
    Wǒ duì zhè ge dào lǐ yǐ jīng liǎo rán.
    I already clearly understand this principle.
  • 了然。
    Tā xīn zhōng liǎo rán yí qiè.
    Everything is clear in his heart.
  • ，了然。
    Jīng guò jiě shì, dà jiā zhōng yú liǎo rán le.
    After the explanation, everyone finally understood clearly.

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.

了liǎounderstand
然ránsuffix

了 (understand) and 然 together mean to understand clearly.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

了 was once drawn to show a baby with no arms; some old comments say it showed crossed or tangled legs.

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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'.

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Appears in
Thinking & Cognition

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