竟然 jìngrán goes right after the subject to flag that the result was unexpected. When the second clause shares the same subject as the first, that subject can be dropped entirely.
1 Structure
S + 竟然 jìngrán (+ VP)
竟然 jìngrán expresses surprise or disbelief at an unexpected result. It can shorten to 竟 jìng in both spoken and written Chinese.
我沒想到我們的政府竟然通過了這條法律我没想到我们的政府竟然通过了这条法律
I didn’t expect our government to pass this law.
三十頁的報告，你竟然一天就寫完了！三十页的报告，你竟然一天就写完了！
A 30-page report, and you wrote it in one day!
你中文那麼好，竟然都是自學的！你中文那么好，竟然都是自学的！
Your Chinese is so good — and you’re self-taught! (Subject 2 dropped, since it’s the same as subject 1.)
那個孩子只因為拿不到錢竟殺了他的父母那个孩子只因为拿不到钱竟杀了他的父母
The kid killed his parents just because he couldn’t get the money. (竟 jìng, the shortened form.)
發生了這麼大的事，你竟不知发生了这麽大的事，你竟不知
How could you not know something this big happened?
我剛買的手機，竟然一天就壞了我刚买的手机，竟然一天就坏了
I just bought this phone, and it broke in just one day!
他每天都遲到，老闆竟然沒生氣他每天都迟到，老板竟然没生气
He’s late every day, and the boss actually hasn’t gotten angry.
這家店的咖啡竟然比星巴克便宜这家店的咖啡竟然比星巴克便宜
The coffee at this shop is actually cheaper than Starbucks.
我找了半天，鑰匙竟然一直在我口袋裡我找了半天，钥匙竟然一直在我口袋里
I searched for ages, and the keys were in my pocket the whole time.
Optional: Dropping 竟然 jìngrán
竟然 jìngrán can be dropped entirely — it depends on the context and how much surprise you want to convey. Without it, the sentence reads as a plain statement of fact rather than an expression of disbelief.
With
三十頁的報告，你竟然一天就寫完了三十页的报告，你竟然一天就写完了
Without
三十頁的報告，你一天寫完了三十页的报告，你一天写完了
With 竟然 jìngrán: “A 30-page report, and you wrote it in one day!” (surprised). Without it: “You finished writing a 30-page report in one day.” (a neutral fact.)
With
那個孩子只因為拿不到錢竟殺了他的父母那个孩子只因为拿不到钱竟杀了他的父母
Without
那個孩子只因為拿不到錢殺了他的父母那个孩子只因为拿不到钱杀了他的父母
Dropping 竟 jìng turns a shocked reaction into a plain, factual statement.
2 Common Mistakes
Unlike 居然 jūrán, 竟然 jìngrán can’t jump in front of the subject.
❌
竟然他很晚才到竟然他很晚才到
✅
他竟然很晚才到他竟然很晚才到
竟然 jìngrán always comes after the subject. Only 居然 jūrán is flexible enough to go before it.
3 Practice
Translate each sentence into Chinese, then tap the card to check your answer.
01The food at this small restaurant is even more delicious than that at a five-star hotel, surprisingly.
這個小餐館的食物竟然比五星級飯店還好吃这个小餐馆的食物竟然比五星级酒店还好吃
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02He actually finished the marathon.
他竟然跑完了馬拉松他竟然跑完了马拉松
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03I can’t believe she forgot my birthday.
她竟然忘了我的生日她竟然忘了我的生日
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04The test was so easy that he actually failed it.
考試那麼簡單，他竟然沒通過考试那么简单，他竟然没通过
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05I didn’t expect it to actually snow in Taipei.
我沒想到台北竟然下雪了我没想到台北竟然下雪了
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06He’s rich, but he actually doesn’t have a car.
他很有錢，竟然沒有車他很有钱，竟然没有车
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07She’s a doctor, and she actually doesn’t know how to swim.
她是醫生，竟然不會游泳她是医生，竟然不会游泳
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08I can’t believe you actually said that to him.
你竟然這樣跟他說話你竟然这样跟他说话
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09The line was so long, but he actually waited three hours.
隊伍那麼長，他竟然等了三個小時队伍那么长，他竟然等了三个小时
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10I didn’t expect the meeting to actually end early.
我沒想到會議竟然提早結束了我没想到会议竟然提早结束了
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