Chinese–EnglishWith examples

突然

tū rán · tu ran

Same in simplified and traditional Chinese

HSK 3

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. sudden; abrupt; unexpected
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In a conversation

0:19 cartoon

Lights out

  1. Dengdeng

    我们(wǒmen)正在(zhèngzài)吃饭(chīfàn)，灯(dēng)突然(tūrán)灭了(mièle)！

    We were eating, and the lights suddenly went out!

  2. Liangliang

    怎么(zěnme)突然(tūrán)这么(zhème)黑(hēi)？停电(tíngdiàn)了吗(lema)？

    Why is it suddenly so dark? A power cut?

  3. Dengdeng

    我(wǒ)不(bù)知道(zhīdào)。你(nǐ)听(tīng)，突然(tūrán)有(yǒu)人(rén)在(zài)唱歌(chànggē)。

    I don't know. Listen, suddenly someone is singing.

  4. Liangliang

    大家(dàjiā)都(dōu)在(zài)唱(chàng)生日(shēngrì)快乐(kuàilè)！

    Everyone is singing Happy Birthday!

  5. Dengdeng

    老板(lǎobǎn)说(shuō)今天(jīntiān)是(shì)他(tā)的(de)生日(shēngrì)，灯(dēng)是(shì)他(tā)关(guān)的(de)。

    The boss says it's his birthday, and he turned the lights off.

Tap a word for its meaning in this line. The characters’ voices are computer-generated.

In a sentence

2 examples
01

火(huǒ)山(shān)突(tū)然(rán)喷(pēn)发(fā)，造(zào)成(chéng)了(le)多(duō)人(rén)死(sǐ)亡(wáng)。

The volcano erupted suddenly, killing many people.

Tatoeba: Chinese by crescat · English by CK · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

02

为(wèi)什(shén)么(me)大(dà)家(jiā)突(tū)然(rán)对(duì)我(wǒ)这(zhè)么(me)好(hǎo)？

Why is everyone being so nice to me all of a sudden?

Tatoeba: Chinese by slo_oth · English by Hybrid · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

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How to write

Stroke order & practice

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

The characters

Explore individually
突
tū

to dash; to move forward quickly

然
rán

correct; right

Individual character meanings do not always explain the meaning of a whole word.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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