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March 24, 2026
突然tūrán(tu1ran2)
突然 (tūrán) means 'sudden' or 'abrupt,' often referring to an unexpected change or occurrence. It is commonly used to describe events that happen unexpectedly, such as a sudden rainstorm or an abrupt change in someone's mood.
Strokes21Frequency#726DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, sudden events can often be seen as signs or omens. For example, a sudden change in weather might be interpreted as a reflection of changing fortunes or moods.
Memory Tip
Think of '突然' as 'too ran'—imagine someone running too fast and suddenly tripping over something unexpected. The character 突 (tū) suggests a sudden impact, while 然 (rán) indicates the state of being, combining to emphasize the abruptness of the situation.
Meanings of 突然
tūrán(tu1ran2)
1sudden
2abrupt
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About 突然
突然Simplified
21Strokes
—Radical
副形词xíngróngcíadj-adverb (adj.-adv.)Part of Speech
#726Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L3HSK 3.0L3ElementaryTOCFLL3HSKKL2CEFRA2
Podcast: 突然
Podcast: 突然
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AI Study Notes for 突然
Quick Contrast
突然 (tūrán) vs 猛然 (měngrán) — use 突然 for unexpected occurrences, while 猛然 emphasizes a sudden, forceful action.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 突然 with other similar words like 突出 (tūchū), which means 'to stand out.' This word is generally informal and should be used in conversational contexts. Remember to use the correct tones: 突 (tū) with a high level tone and 然 (rán) with a rising tone.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK level 3 word, 突然 is key for expressing surprise or sudden changes. Students should focus on using it in sentences to describe experiences or events, connecting it to other HSK 3 words like 发生 (fāshēng, 'to happen') and 变化 (biànhuà, 'change').
Common Mistakes
Learners often misplace the tones, pronouncing it as 'turan' instead of 'tūrán.' Additionally, they might confuse it with words like 突出 (tūchū) which means 'to stand out,' leading to incorrect usage in contexts.
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Pronunciation of 突然
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突然 (tūrán) means 'sudden' or 'abrupt,' often referring to an unexpected change or occurrence. It is commonly used to describe events that happen unexpectedly, such as a sudden rainstorm or an abrupt change in someone's mood.
When to use 突然
Be careful not to confuse 突然 with other similar words like 突出 (tūchū), which means 'to stand out.' This word is generally informal and should be used in conversational contexts. Remember to use the correct tones: 突 (tū) with a high level tone and 然 (rán) with a rising tone.
突然 or something close to it
突然 (tūrán) vs 猛然 (měngrán) — use 突然 for unexpected occurrences, while 猛然 emphasizes a sudden, forceful action.
What learners get wrong
Learners often misplace the tones, pronouncing it as 'turan' instead of 'tūrán.' Additionally, they might confuse it with words like 突出 (tūchū) which means 'to stand out,' leading to incorrect usage in contexts.
Write 突然
突
然
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Grammar Patterns of 突然
突然 functions as an adverb — it modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. In Chinese, adverbs sit BEFORE the verb they modify (我也去, 他常常迟到), never after it. It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
