然
correct, so, thus
然 is composed of the variant of 肰(dog meat) and the BuShou of 火(Fire). In ancient Chinese theory, the nature of dog meat is ‘hot’, like fire burning inside the body, that’s why 然 has the meaning of burning, not roast dog meat, now such meaning has been replaced by 燃. In addition, since the heat inside your body after you have eaten dog meat is taken as a matter of course, so 然 also has the meaning of correct, to be and to agree, now it is used as pronoun and adverb, such as 然而(but), 然則(in that case), 居然(unexpectedly), 竟然(unexpectedly), 若然(if), 或然(probably), 仍然(still), 既然(since), 雖然(therefore), 必然(certain).
Vocabulary of 然
- 然而 (but)
- 自然 (nature)
- 居然 (unexpectedly)
Classification
Related Characters:
4火
fire7災calamity7灶
stove8炎flame8炙broil8炒stir-fry9炳bright9炮roast9炸explode9炷
wick9炬
torch10烏crow10烤roast10烝rise10烕extinguish10烈intense10烜brilliant12焚burn12然correct12焦burnt13煌bright13煓blaze13煩bother13煊warm13照shine14熒glimmer14營camp14熄quench14熏smoke14熔smelt14熊bear15熯dry16燊blazing16燈lamp16燙scald16燃burn16燒
burn18燼ashes18燻fumigate