居然
jū rán
Unexpectedly, to one's surprise
How to use 居然 (jūrán) and 反而 (fǎn'ér) in Chinese
居然 (jūrán): unexpectedly (surprise) / 反而 (fǎn'ér): on the contrary
居然 (jū rán) vs 反而 (fǎn ér) — unexpected vs on the contrary
HSK 6Adverbs
居然 (jūrán): unexpectedly (surprise) / 反而 (fǎn'ér): on the contrary
HSK 6Adverbs居然 (jū rán) vs 反而 (fǎn ér) — unexpected vs on the contrary
Rule structure
居然 (jūrán) expresses surprise that something happened contrary to expectation. 反而 (fǎn'ér) expresses that the result is the opposite of what was expected.
Rule structure
居然 (jūrán) expresses surprise that something happened contrary to expectation. 反而 (fǎn'ér) expresses that the result is the opposite of what was expected.
Examples
他居然迟到了。 / 帮忙反而添了乱。
Tā jūrán chídào le. / Bāngmáng fǎn'ér tiān le luàn.
He was unexpectedly late. / Helping actually made things worse.
Examples
他居然迟到了。 / 帮忙反而添了乱。
Tā jūrán chídào le. / Bāngmáng fǎn'ér tiān le luàn.
He was unexpectedly late. / Helping actually made things worse.
Practice
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Frequently asked questions
How do you say “unexpected vs on the contrary” in Chinese with 居然 vs 反而?
Use the structure: 居然 (jūrán): unexpectedly (surprise) / 反而 (fǎn'ér): on the contrary. For example: 他居然迟到了。 / 帮忙反而添了乱。 — “He was unexpectedly late. / Helping actually made things worse”.
What is an example sentence with this grammar rule?
他居然迟到了。 / 帮忙反而添了乱。 — “He was unexpectedly late. / Helping actually made things worse”.
Which HSK level includes this grammar rule?
This grammar rule is part of HSK 6.
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More HSK 6 grammar rules
无非 — nothing but
无非 (wúfēi) + Noun / Clause (dismissive)
凡是 — all, every
凡是 (fánshì) + Noun Phrase, 都 (dōu) + Verb
恢复 vs 还原 — restore vs return to original
恢复 (huīfù): restore (state, function) / 还原 (huányuán): restore to original state
再…也 — no matter how
再 (zài) + Adj., 也 (yě) + Result
何必 — why bother
何必 (hébì) + Verb Phrase (rhetorical, unnecessary)
不断 vs 不停 — continuous vs nonstop
不断 (bùduàn) + Verb (continuous, unceasing) / 不停 (bùtíng) + Verb (incessant, nonstop)
按照 vs 根据 — according to vs based on
按照 (ànzhào) + Rule / Standard (follow) / 根据 (gēnjù) + Basis / Source (based on)
一时 vs 一度 — temporary vs once
一时 (yìshí): temporary (moment) / 一度 (yídù): once (period in past)