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然

So, Like That
Stroke count: 12

Readings

On readingゼン、ネン
Kun readingしか、しか.り、しか.し
JLPT level: N3JōyōGrade 4Level 13

Meanings

  1. so, Like That
  2. sort of thingRtK
  3. so
  4. if so
  5. in that case
  6. well
  1. like that
  2. in that way

Popular Usage

偶然自然全然自然科学依然

Radicals and components

Radical火fire灬variant
Components
How it's built
然
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Mnemonic (RtK)

ⓘ

moon (月) · crescent moon · month (月) · flesh (月) · part of the body (月) · chihuahua · dog (犬) · large (大) · drop (丶) · oven-fire (灬) · barbecue (灬)

From "Remembering the Kanji" by James Heisig · Frame 256

Compound words

偶然ぐうぜん
coincidence; chance; accident; fortuity; by chance
自然しぜん
nature; natural; spontaneous; automatic; naturally
全然ぜんぜん
(not) at all; (not) in the slightest; wholly; entirely; completely
自然科学しぜんかがく
natural science
天然温泉てんねんおんせん
natural hot spring
依然いぜん
still; as yet; as it has been
敢然かんぜん
boldly; bravely; resolutely; determinedly
公然こうぜん
open; public; official; overt
騒然そうぜん
noisy; confused; uproarious
断然だんぜん
firmly; flatly; resolutely; decisively; absolutely
天然てんねん
nature; spontaneity; natural airhead
当然とうぜん
natural; right; proper; just; reasonable
同然どうぜん
just like; (virtually) no different from; (almost) the same as; as good as (e.g. dead, settled)
突然とつぜん
abrupt; sudden; unexpected
漠然ばくぜん
vague; obscure; indistinct; hazy; ambiguous
必然ひつぜん
inevitable; necessary; certain; sure; inevitability
未然みぜん
before it happens; previously
寂然せきぜん
lonely; desolate
歴然れきぜん
evident; plain; distinct; clear
天然痘てんねんとう
smallpox; variola
必然的ひつぜんてき
inevitable; necessary
不自然ふしぜん
unnatural; artificial; affected; strained
自然界しぜんかい
nature; the natural world; realm of nature
大自然だいしぜん
nature; Mother Nature

On Reading Examples

人は教授という人たちが英語を話せるのは当然の事と思いがちだ。とうぜん
People are apt to take it for granted that the professor can speak English.tatoeba

Additional Examples

彼は母のいない子も同然だった。
He was no better than a motherless child.tatoeba
彼は平然と取引をつぶしました。
He sank the deal without batting an eyelash.tatoeba
彼は文無しも同然だ。
He is no better than a beggar.tatoeba
彼は物置の中で偶然いくつかの古文書を見つけた。
He came across some old documents in the closet.tatoeba

Stroke Order

12 strokes

So, naturally. 月 (meat) + 犬 (dog) + 灬 (fire) — meat roasting on a fire: as it should be. 自然 — nature.Also known as “Nature”

Practice Writing

Practice Writing 然

Draw with a guide, then from memory — checked at every step