Difference between revisions of "Comparing "turan" and "huran""

 
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{{Grammar Box}}  
 
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Both 突然 (tūrán) and 忽然 (hūrán) express the something happens in a very short time or is unexpected. Both can be translated as "suddenly." However, 突然 is a bit harsher in tone while 忽然 is a bit softer (you might say 突然 is more 突然 than 忽然), and only 突然 can be used as an adjective meaning "sudden."
Both 突然 (tūrán) and 忽然 (hūrán) express the something happens in a very short time or is unexpected. Both can be translated as "unexpectedly" or "surprisingly," however, 突然 is a bit harsher in tone while 忽然 is a bit softer. Also, their grammatical features are subtly different, as outlined in this article.  
 
  
 
== Both 突然 and 忽然 can be used as Adverbs ==
 
== Both 突然 and 忽然 can be used as Adverbs ==
 
   
 
   
突然 and 忽然 both can put in the sentence as [[adverb]]s or [[adjective]]s, just make sure to put them before the verb or the adjective!
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突然 and 忽然 both can put in the sentence as [[adverb]]s. Just make sure to put them before the verb or adjective they modify!
  
 
=== Before a Verb===
 
=== Before a Verb===
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* 睡觉 的 时候,我 的 电话<em>突然</em> 响了。<span class="trans">While I was sleeping, my phone suddenly started to ring.</span>
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* 睡觉 的 时候,我 的 电话 <em>突然</em> 响了。<span class="pinyin">Shuìjiào de shíhou, wǒ de diànhuà <em>tūrán</em> xiǎng le.</span>
* 睡觉 的 时候,我 的 电话<em>忽然</em> 响了。<span class="trans">While I was sleeping, my phone suddenly started to ring.</span>
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* 睡觉 的 时候,我 的 电话 <em>忽然</em> 响了。<span class="pinyin">Shuìjiào de shíhou, wǒ de diànhuà <em>hūrán</em> xiǎng le.</span><span class="trans">While I was sleeping, my phone suddenly started to ring.</span>
* 他 说着说着<em>突然</em> 不 说 了。 <span class="trans">He was talking and talking, and suddenly stopped.</span>
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* 他 说着 说着 <em>突然</em> 不 说 了。<span class="pinyin">Tā shuōzhe shuōzhe <em>tūrán</em> bù shuō le.</span>
* 他 说着说着<em>忽然</em> 不 说 了。 <span class="trans">He was talking and talking, and suddenly stopped.</span>
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* 他 说着 说着 <em>忽然</em> 不 说 了。<span class="pinyin">Tā shuōzhe shuōzhe <em>hūrán</em> bù shuō le.</span><span class="trans">He was talking and talking, and suddenly stopped.</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* 天 <em>突然</em> 暗 了。
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* 天 <em>突然</em> 暗 了。<span class="pinyin">Tiān <em>tūrán</em> àn le.</span>
* 天 <em>忽然</em> 暗 了。
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* 天 <em>忽然</em> 暗 了。<span class="pinyin">Tiān <em>hūrán</em> àn le.</span><span class="trans">The sky suddenly got dark.</span>
* <span class="trans">The sky suddenly got dark.</span>
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* 灯 <em>突然</em> 不 亮 了。<span class="pinyin">Dēng <em>tūrán</em> bù liàng le.</span>
* 灯 <em>突然</em> 不 亮 了。
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* 灯 <em>忽然</em> 不 亮 了。<span class="pinyin">Dēng <em>hūrán</em> bù liàng le.</span><span class="trans">The lights suddenly went out.</span>
* 灯 <em>忽然</em> 不 亮 了。
 
* <span class="trans">The lights suddenly went out</span>
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* <em>突然</em>,他 进来 了。
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* <em>突然</em>,他 进来 了。<span class="pinyin"><em>Túrán</em>, tā jìnlái le.</span>
* <em>忽然</em>,他 进来 了。
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* <em>忽然</em>,他 进来 了。<span class="pinyin"><em>Hūrán</em>, tā jìnlái le.</span><span class="trans">Suddenly, he entered.</span>
* <span class="trans">Suddenly, he entered.</span>
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== 突然 can be used as an Adjective ==
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== 突然 can be used as an Adjective ==
  
 
突然 can be used as an [[adjective]] (directly modifying [[noun]]s), while 忽然 ''cannot''.
 
突然 can be used as an [[adjective]] (directly modifying [[noun]]s), while 忽然 ''cannot''.
 
  
 
=== Structure as an Adjective===
 
=== Structure as an Adjective===
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* 这 是 一 场 <em>突然</em> 事故,我们 都 没 想到。<span class="trans">This was a sudden accident. None of us thought it could happen.</span>
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* 这 是 一 场 <em>突然</em> 事故,我们 都 没 想到。<span class="pinyin">Zhè shì yī chǎng <em>tūrán</em> shìgù, wǒmen dōu méi xiǎngdào.</span><span class="trans">This was a sudden accident. None of us thought it could happen.</span>
* 你 知道 怎么 处理 这 种 <em>突然</em> 的 情况 吗?<span class="trans">Do you know how to handle this kind of sudden situation?</span>
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* 你 知道 怎么 处理 这 种 <em>突然</em> 的 情况 吗?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ zhīdào zěnme chǔlǐ zhè zhǒng <em>tūrán</em> de qíngkuàng ma?</span><span class="trans">Do you know how to handle this kind of sudden situation?</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* 事情 发生 得 太 <em>突然</em>,我们 不 知道 怎么 办。<span class="trans">Things happened so suddenly, we didn't know what to do.</span>
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* 事情 发生 得 太 <em>突然</em>,我们 不 知道 怎么 办。<span class="pinyin">Shìqing fāshēng de tài <em>tūrán</em>, wǒmen bù zhīdào zěnme bàn.</span><span class="trans">Things happened so suddenly, we didn't know what to do.</span>
* 这 场 雨 下 得 太 <em>突然</em>,都 淋湿 了。<span class="trans">This rain fell so suddenly, everything got soaked.</span>
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* 这 场 雨 下 得 太 <em>突然</em>,都 淋湿 了。<span class="pinyin">Zhè chǎng yǔ xià de tài <em>tūrán</em>, dōu lín shī le.</span><span class="trans">This rain fell so suddenly, everything got soaked.</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
 
== 突然 can be used as the predicate ==
 
== 突然 can be used as the predicate ==
  
Just like other adjectives, 突然 can be used as the predicate of a sentence. It is usually added with a modifier like 很, 非常, 不 etc. It can also end with 得很, 得多, 极了, etc. complements.
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Just like other adjectives, 突然 can be used as the predicate of a sentence. It is usually added with a modifier like 很, 非常, 不 etc. It can also end with complements like [[Adjectival complement "de hen"|得很]], [[Expressing "much more" in comparisons|得多]], [[Adjectives with "-ji le"|极了]], etc.
 
 
 
 
  
 
=== Structure with modifier + 突然 ===
 
=== Structure with modifier + 突然 ===
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* 这 个 决定 太 <em>突然</em> 了。<span class="trans">This decision was too sudden.</span>
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* 这 个 决定 太 <em>突然</em> 了。<span class="pinyin">Zhège juédìng tài <em>tūrán</em>  le.</span><span class="trans">This decision was too sudden.</span>
* 对 她 来说,这 次 升职 其实 不 <em>突然</em>。<span class="trans">To her, this promotion wasn't actually surprising.</span>
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* 对 她 来说,这 次 升职 其实 不 <em>突然</em>。<span class="pinyin">Duì tā lái shuō, zhè cì shēng zhí qíshí bù <em>tūrán</em>.</span><span class="trans">To her, this promotion wasn't actually surprising.</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* 离开 上海 <em>突然</em> 得 很。<span class="trans">Leaving Shanghai is really surprising.</span>
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* 离开 上海 <em>突然</em> 得 很。<span class="pinyin">Tā líkāi Shànghǎi <em>tūrán</em> de hěn.</span><span class="trans">Her leaving Shanghai was really sudden.</span>
* 这 次 生病 比 上 次 <em>突然</em> 得 多。<span class="trans">Getting sick this time is much more surprising than the last time.</span>
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* 这 次 生病 比 上 次 <em>突然</em> 得 多。<span class="pinyin">Zhè cì shēngbìng bǐ shàng cì <em>tūrán</em> de duō.</span><span class="trans">Getting sick this time was much more sudden than the last time.</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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<ul>
 
<ul>
 
<li class="x">这 个 决定 很 <em>忽然</em>。</li>
 
<li class="x">这 个 决定 很 <em>忽然</em>。</li>
<li class="o">这 个 决定 很 <em>突然</em>。 <span class="expl">突然 can be a predicate, while 忽然 cannot.</span></li>  
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<li class="o">这 个 决定 很 <em>突然</em>。 <span class="expl">突然 can be a predicate, while 忽然 cannot.</span><span class="pinyin>Zhège juédìng hěn <em>tūrán</em>.</span><span class="trans">This decision is very sudden.</span></li>  
 
<li class="x">一切 发生 得 太 <em>忽然</em>。</li>
 
<li class="x">一切 发生 得 太 <em>忽然</em>。</li>
<li class="o">一切 发生 得 太 <em>突然</em>。 <span class="expl">突然 can be a complement, but 忽然 cannot.</span></li>  
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<li class="o">一切 发生 得 太 <em>突然</em>。 <span class="expl">突然 can be a complement, but 忽然 cannot.</span><span class="pinyin>Yīqiè fāshēng de tài <em>tūrán</em>.</span><span class="trans">Everything happened too suddenly.</span></li>  
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
 
</div>
 
</div>
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* A: 我 正在 睡觉,<em>忽然</em> 电话响了,是 Amy 打 来 的。<span class="trans">I was sleeping, when suddenly the phone rang. It was Amy.</span>
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* A: 我 正在 睡觉,<em>忽然</em> 电话 响 了 ,是 Amy 打 来 的。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ zhèngzài shuìjiào, <em>hūrán</em> diànhuà xiǎng le, shì Amy dǎ lái de.</span><span class="trans">I was sleeping, when suddenly the phone rang. It was Amy.</span>
* B: 她 说 什么?<span class="trans">What did she say?</span>
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* B: 她 说 什么 ?<span class="pinyin">Tā shuō shénme?</span><span class="trans">What did she say?</span>
* A: 她 结婚 了。<span class="trans">She got married.</span>
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* A: 她 结婚 了 。<span class="pinyin">Tā jiéhūn le.</span><span class="trans">She got married.</span>
* B: 啊,这 个 消息 太<em>突然</em> 了。<span class="trans">Oh, this news is really sudden.</span>
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* B: 啊,这 个 消息 太 <em>突然</em> 了。<span class="pinyin">Zhège xiāoxī tài <em>tūrán</em> le.</span><span class="trans">Oh, this news is really sudden.</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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=== Dictionaries ===
 
=== Dictionaries ===
 
* [[现代汉语词典(第5版)]] (忽然p.574 突然p.1378) [http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%8D%E5%85%B8/dp/B001B1RZCI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693609&sr=8-1 →buy]
 
* [[现代汉语词典(第5版)]] (忽然p.574 突然p.1378) [http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%8D%E5%85%B8/dp/B001B1RZCI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693609&sr=8-1 →buy]
 
  
 
[[Category:grammar comparison]]
 
[[Category:grammar comparison]]
{{Basic Grammar|突然|B2|突然 vs 忽然|我的 电话 <em>忽然</em> 响了。 事情 发生 得 太 <em>突然</em>。|grammar point|ASGHKZP4}}
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{{Basic Grammar|突然||突然 vs 忽然|我的 电话 <em>忽然</em> 响了。 事情 发生 得 太 <em>突然</em>。|grammar point|ASGHKZP4}}
 
{{Rel char|忽然}}
 
{{Rel char|忽然}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing time and date}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing time and date}}

Latest revision as of 10:13, 23 December 2020

Both 突然 (tūrán) and 忽然 (hūrán) express the something happens in a very short time or is unexpected. Both can be translated as "suddenly." However, 突然 is a bit harsher in tone while 忽然 is a bit softer (you might say 突然 is more 突然 than 忽然), and only 突然 can be used as an adjective meaning "sudden."

Both 突然 and 忽然 can be used as Adverbs

突然 and 忽然 both can put in the sentence as adverbs. Just make sure to put them before the verb or adjective they modify!

Before a Verb

突然/忽然 + Verb

Examples

  • 睡觉 的 时候,我 的 电话 突然 响了。Shuìjiào de shíhou, wǒ de diànhuà tūrán xiǎng le.
  • 睡觉 的 时候,我 的 电话 忽然 响了。Shuìjiào de shíhou, wǒ de diànhuà hūrán xiǎng le.While I was sleeping, my phone suddenly started to ring.
  • 他 说着 说着 突然 不 说 了。Tā shuōzhe shuōzhe tūrán bù shuō le.
  • 他 说着 说着 忽然 不 说 了。Tā shuōzhe shuōzhe hūrán bù shuō le.He was talking and talking, and suddenly stopped.

Before an Adjective

突然/忽然 + Adj.

Examples

  • 突然 暗 了。Tiān tūrán àn le.
  • 忽然 暗 了。Tiān hūrán àn le.The sky suddenly got dark.
  • 突然 不 亮 了。Dēng tūrán bù liàng le.
  • 忽然 不 亮 了。Dēng hūrán bù liàng le.The lights suddenly went out.

At the Beginning of a Sentence

You can place 突然 and 忽然 at the beginning of a sentence, just make sure to add a comma after it!

Structure

突然/忽然,⋯⋯

Examples

  • 突然,他 进来 了。Túrán, tā jìnlái le.
  • 忽然,他 进来 了。Hūrán, tā jìnlái le.Suddenly, he entered.

突然 can be used as an Adjective

突然 can be used as an adjective (directly modifying nouns), while 忽然 cannot.

Structure as an Adjective

突然 + (的) + Noun

Examples

  • 这 是 一 场 突然 事故,我们 都 没 想到。Zhè shì yī chǎng tūrán shìgù, wǒmen dōu méi xiǎngdào.This was a sudden accident. None of us thought it could happen.
  • 你 知道 怎么 处理 这 种 突然 的 情况 吗?Nǐ zhīdào zěnme chǔlǐ zhè zhǒng tūrán de qíngkuàng ma?Do you know how to handle this kind of sudden situation?

突然 can be used as a complement

突然 as an adjective can also be used as a complement (called 补语 in Chinese). 忽然 cannot be used as a complement.

Structure for verb and complement

Subj. + Verb + 得 + 突然

Examples

  • 事情 发生 得 太 突然,我们 不 知道 怎么 办。Shìqing fāshēng de tài tūrán, wǒmen bù zhīdào zěnme bàn.Things happened so suddenly, we didn't know what to do.
  • 这 场 雨 下 得 太 突然,都 淋湿 了。Zhè chǎng yǔ xià de tài tūrán, dōu lín shī le.This rain fell so suddenly, everything got soaked.

突然 can be used as the predicate

Just like other adjectives, 突然 can be used as the predicate of a sentence. It is usually added with a modifier like 很, 非常, 不 etc. It can also end with complements like 得很, 得多, 极了, etc.

Structure with modifier + 突然

Subj. + Modifier + 突然

Examples

  • 这 个 决定 太 突然 了。Zhège juédìng tài tūrán le.This decision was too sudden.
  • 对 她 来说,这 次 升职 其实 不 突然Duì tā lái shuō, zhè cì shēng zhí qíshí bù tūrán.To her, this promotion wasn't actually surprising.

Structure with 突然 + modifier

Subj. + 突然 + Modifier

Examples

  • 她 离开 上海 突然 得 很。Tā líkāi Shànghǎi tūrán de hěn.Her leaving Shanghai was really sudden.
  • 这 次 生病 比 上 次 突然 得 多。Zhè cì shēngbìng bǐ shàng cì tūrán de duō.Getting sick this time was much more sudden than the last time.

Example of right and wrong sentences

  • 这 个 决定 很 忽然
  • 这 个 决定 很 突然突然 can be a predicate, while 忽然 cannot.Zhège juédìng hěn tūrán.This decision is very sudden.
  • 一切 发生 得 太 忽然
  • 一切 发生 得 太 突然突然 can be a complement, but 忽然 cannot.Yīqiè fāshēng de tài tūrán.Everything happened too suddenly.

Example Dialog

  • A: 我 正在 睡觉,忽然 电话 响 了 ,是 Amy 打 来 的。Wǒ zhèngzài shuìjiào, hūrán diànhuà xiǎng le, shì Amy dǎ lái de.I was sleeping, when suddenly the phone rang. It was Amy.
  • B: 她 说 什么 ?Tā shuō shénme?What did she say?
  • A: 她 结婚 了 。Tā jiéhūn le.She got married.
  • B: 啊,这 个 消息 太 突然 了。Zhège xiāoxī tài tūrán le.Oh, this news is really sudden.

Sources and further reading

Books

Dictionaries

:INVALID"INVALID" is not in the list (HSK0, HSK1, HSK2, HSK3, HSK4, HSK5, HSK6) of allowed values for the "HSK" property.