诚然 (chéng rán) — admittedly; it is true that… (used to concede a fact before a contrasting statement)

Definition

A formal written conjunction meaning 'admittedly' or 'it is true that…' — used at the start of a clause to concede a point before introducing a contrast with 可是, 但, or 却. Far more literary than everyday words like 确实.

conjunction
admittedlyit is true that… (used to concede a fact before a contrasting statement)

Examples

  • 诚然，。
    chéng rán Zhè ge wèn tí hěn fù zá, dàn wǒ men yí dìng néng jiě jué.
    Admittedly this problem is very complicated, but we will certainly be able to solve it.
  • 诚然，。
    chéng rán Tā fàn le cuò wù, kě shì tā bìng bú shì gù yì de.
    Admittedly he made a mistake, but he didn't do it on purpose.
  • 诚然，。
    chéng rán Tiān qì bù hǎo, wǒ men què hái shì chū fā le.
    Admittedly the weather was bad, yet we still set off.

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.

诚chéngtrue; indeed
然ránadverb-forming ending

诚 means 'true; indeed', and 然 is the ending that forms adverbs, giving the concessive sense 'admittedly'.

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 誠; 诚 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánspeech
Sound part声符shēngfú
成
成chéng誠chéng
Same sound today

In 誠, 言 is the speech part and 成 gives the sound; this is about the traditional form 誠, not the simplified 诚.

Open 诚 →

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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