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Kotomora

然

sort of thing, so, if so, in that case, well

JLPTN3StatusJōyō · grade 4FrequencyTop 500Strokes12

Readings

On'yomi

  • ゼン
  • ネン

Kun'yomi

  • しか
  • しか.り
  • しか.し
  • さ

Meaning

然 centers on a state or condition being just as it is: something being so, a sort of thing, or a natural consequence. Its uses as 'if so' or 'in that case' follow from that same idea of things being as they are.

Most common words using 然

24 of 462
  • 全然ぜんぜん
    N5

    (not) at all; (not) in the slightest

  • 自然しぜん
    N4

    nature

  • 当然とうぜん
    N3

    natural; right; proper; just; reasonable; appropriate; deserved

  • 突然とつぜん
    N3

    abrupt; sudden; unexpected

  • 天然てんねん
    N3

    nature; spontaneity

  • 偶然ぐうぜん
    N3

    coincidence; chance; accident; fortuity

  • 必然ひつぜん
    N1

    inevitable; necessary; certain; sure

  • 同然どうぜん

    just like; (virtually) no different from; (almost) the same as; as good as (e.g. dead, settled)

  • 不自然ふしぜん
    N3

    unnatural; artificial; affected; strained

  • 断然だんぜん
    N2

    firmly; flatly; resolutely; decisively; absolutely; definitely

  • 依然としていぜんとして
    N1

    still; as yet; as of old

  • 公然こうぜん
    N1

    open; public; official; overt

  • 依然いぜん
    N2

    still; as yet; as it has been

  • 未然みぜん
    N1

    before it happens; previously

  • 天然記念物てんねんきねんぶつ

    natural monument

  • 騒然そうぜん

    noisy; confused; uproarious

  • 天然痘てんねんとう

    smallpox; variola

  • 歴然れきぜん
    N1

    evident; plain; distinct; clear

  • 漠然ばくぜん
    N1

    vague; obscure; indistinct; hazy; ambiguous

  • 天然ガスてんねんガス
    N2

    natural gas

  • 必然的ひつぜんてき
    N1

    inevitable; necessary

  • 大自然だいしぜん

    nature; Mother Nature

  • 自然界しぜんかい

    nature; the natural world; realm of nature

  • 自然科学しぜんかがく
    N2

    natural science

Explore all words using 然 →

Study

Etymology

然 originally combined 灬 (fire) with 肰 (a phonetic component related to burning or roasting), and later came to express the abstract idea of 'so' or 'thus' through phonetic loan. The modern form retains 灬 at the bottom, but the upper part has been simplified and its exact historical development is uncertain.

Meaning mnemonic

The fire 灬 at the bottom suggests something burning or cooking, and the upper part looks like a dog 犬 and moon 夕. Imagine a dog roasting meat under the moonlight, and when it's done, you say 'just so' — it's exactly the sort of thing you expected.

Reading mnemonic

For ゼン, picture a Zen master calmly accepting things as they are: Zen -> ゼン, and the master says 'so it is' while sitting by the fire.