竟然

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Character Breakdown

Usage of 竟然

The adverb 竟然 is used to express surprise or something unexpected happening. It often conveys a stronger sense of astonishment compared to similar words like 居然 or 意料.

Common Contexts

Collocations and Patterns

  • 竟然 + verb phrase: highlights an unexpected action.
  • 竟然 + / + verb: emphasizes surprising ability.
  • 竟然 + + noun + / + verb: stresses unexpected inclusiveness.

Nuance and Register

This word is informal to neutral and commonly used in spoken and written Mandarin. It often implies the speaker's surprise or disbelief about the situation.

Common Confusion

Do not confuse 竟然 with ; 竟然 is an adverb expressing surprise, while alone can mean "finally" or "after all" without the surprise nuance.

Example Sentences

He unexpectedly forgot our appointment, which really surprised me.

This movie unexpectedly won the best award; it was really surprising.

You can unexpectedly speak three languages, that's amazing!