そして

also: しかして

そ

し

て

Common wordJLPTN5Freq.FrequencyTop 200

Meanings

1

conjunction

and; and then; thus

usually written using kana alone

Common conjunction linking clauses or sentences in sequence, often implying a natural consequence or next step. The reading しかして is archaic and limited to classical or highly formal writing.

朝あさ起おきて、そして顔かおを洗あらった。
I woke up in the morning, and then washed my face.

彼かれは努ど力りょくした。そして成せい功こうした。

He worked hard, and thus succeeded.

Written forms

そしてUsage100%
Standard kana spelling; the word is usually written in kana.
而して
rarely-used kanji form
- そして
  Rare kanji form; not recommended for learners.
- しかして
然して
rarely-used kanji form
- そして
  Rare kanji form; not recommended for learners.
- しかして
しかして
Archaic reading; encountered in classical or formal literary contexts.

Kanji

而and yet, and then, but
然sort of thing, so, if so

Similar words

それから
それから is more explicitly temporal ('after that'), while そして can also express logical consequence or addition.
また
また means 'also' or 'again', adding information without the sequential or consequential nuance of そして.

Etymology

Derived from classical Japanese 然して (しかして), a combination of 然 (thus) and the conjunctive particle して. The modern form そして is a sound shift from しかして.