竟然 jìngrán and 居然 jūrán

Grammar Point:
In Chinese, both 竟然 jìngrán and 居然 jūrán are adverbs that convey a sense of surprise or unexpectedness. However, when speaking English, these words are usually not translated, but rather expressed through tone of voice.

Structure

S + 竟然 jìngrán

竟然 jìngrán is often used to express surprise or disbelief at an unexpected result or outcome. You can also drop the 然 rán and use just 竟 jìng, which works in both spoken and written Chinese. Moreover, when subjects 1 and 2 are the same, you can omit subject 2.

我wǒ沒想到méixiǎngdào我們wǒmen的de政府zhèngfǔ竟然jìngrán通過tōngguò了le這zhè條tiáo法律fǎlǜ我wǒ没想到méixiǎngdào我们wǒmen的de政府zhèngfǔ竟然jìngrán通过tōngguò了le这zhè条tiáo法律fǎlǜ
I didn’t expect our government to pass this law.

三十sānshí頁yè的de報告bàogào， 你nǐ竟然jìngrán一天yìtiān就jiù寫xiě完wán了le！ 三十sānshí页yè的de报告bàogào， 你nǐ竟然jìngrán一天yìtiān就jiù写xiě完wán了le！
A 30-page report, and you wrote it in one day!

你nǐ中文zhōngwén那麼nàme好hǎo， 竟然jìngrán都dōu是shì自學zìxué的de！ 你nǐ中文zhōngwén那么nàme好hǎo， 竟然jìngrán都dōu是shì自学zìxué的de！
You’re so good at Chinese, you’re self-taught!

那個nàge孩子háizi只zhǐ因為yīnwèi拿ná不bú到dào錢qián竟jìng殺shā了le他tā的de父母fùmǔ那个nàge孩子háizi只zhǐ因为yīnwèi拿ná不bu到dào钱qián竟jìng杀shā了le他tā的de父母fùmǔ
The kid killed his parents just because he couldn’t get the money.

發生fāshēng了le這麽zhème大dà的de事shì， 你nǐ竟jìng不知bùzhī发生fāshēng了le这麽zhème大dà的de事shì， 你nǐ竟jìng不知bùzhī
How could you not know that such a big thing happened?

Can I just drop it?

Yes, 竟然 jìngrán can be dropped in some cases. However, it depends on the context and the level of surprise or unexpectedness that you want to convey. Without 竟然 jìngrán, the tone of your expression is more factual, as you are simply describing the situation.

三十sānshí頁yè的de報告bàogào， 你nǐ一天yìtiān寫xiě完wán了le三十sānshí页yè的de报告bàogào， 你nǐ一天yìtiān写xiě完wán了le
You finished writing a 30-page report in one day.

那個nàge孩子háizi只zhǐ因為yīnwèi拿ná不bú到dào錢qián殺shā了le他的tāde父母fùmǔ那个nàge孩子háizi只zhǐ因为yīnwèi拿ná不bu到dào钱qián杀shā了le他的tāde父母fùmǔ
The kid killed his parents because he couldn’t get the money.

S + 居然 jūrán

居然 jūrán + S

居然 jūrán is used similarly, but it’s more colloquial and conveys a stronger sense of disbelief or astonishment compared to 竟然 jìngrán. Unlike 竟然 jìngrán, 居然 jūrán cannot drop the 然 rán and be used as just 居 jū. Additionally, it’s a special adverb that can be placed either before or after the subject.

這zhè電影diànyǐng這麼zhème好看hǎokàn， 他tā居然jūrán看kàn到dào睡著shuìzháo了le这zhè电影diànyǐng这么zhème好看hǎokàn， 他tā居然jūrán看kàn到dào睡着shuìzháo了le
This movie is so good. I can’t believe that he fell asleep while watching it.

居然jūrán你nǐ也yě不知道bùzhīdào公司gōngsī要yào裁員cáiyuán100 人rén居然jūrán你nǐ也yě不知道bùzhīdào公司gōngsī要yào裁员cáiyuán100 人rén
I can’t believe you didn’t know the company is going to lay off 100 people.

你nǐ是shì韓國人hánguórén， 居然jūrán討厭tǎoyàn泡菜pàocài你nǐ是shì韩国人hánguórén， 居然jūrán讨厌tǎoyàn泡菜pàocài
You are Korean and you hate kimchi?

今天jīntiān是shì我們wǒmen的de結婚jiéhūn紀念日jìniànrì， 你nǐ居然jūrán忘記wàngjì了le！ 今天jīntiān是shì我们wǒmen的de结婚jiéhūn纪念日jìniànrì， 你nǐ居然jūrán忘记wàngjì了le！
Today is our wedding anniversary. I can’t believe you forgot!

FYI
Chinese wedding anniversaries indeed carry significant cultural importance and are often celebrated privately. Unlike Western traditions, it’s customary not to invite friends to join in the celebration. Among these milestones, the 50th anniversary holds particular significance and is referred to as the 金婚 jīnhūn (Golden Wedding Anniversary). For the younger generation, specific anniversaries such as the 1st, 10th, 20th, and 30th years of marriage are particularly emphasized. These milestones symbolize different stages of the couple’s journey together and are often marked with “symbolic gifts.” So, if your partner is Chinese, DO NOT FORGET THE GIFT.

Practice

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✔️ The food at this small restaurant is even more delicious than that at a five-star hotel, surprisingly.

這個zhège小xiǎo餐館cānguǎn的de食物shíwù竟然jìngrán比bǐ五星級wǔxīngjí飯店fàndiàn還hái好吃hǎochī这个zhège小xiǎo餐馆cānguǎn的de食物shíwù竟然jìngrán比bǐ五星级wǔxīngjí酒店jiǔdiàn还hái好吃hǎochī

✔️ I actually ran into my teacher on the street last night.

我wǒ昨晚zuówǎn居然jūrán在zài街上jiēshàng遇到yùdào了le我的wǒde老師lǎoshī我wǒ昨晚zuówǎn居然jūrán在zài街上jiēshàng遇到yùdào了le我的wǒde老师lǎoshī

✔️ HSK4 is so difficult, and I actually passed it.

HSK4 這麼zhème難nán， 我wǒ居然jūrán過guò了leHSK4 这么zhème难nán， 我wǒ居然jūrán过guò了le

• All different 然 rán in Chinese

• 果然 guǒrán – As expected (HSK 3)