Meaning
天然 describes something that exists in nature without artificial processing or human intervention. It emphasizes the original, unmodified state of things, whether referring to resources like gas and materials, or to qualities and characteristics that are inborn rather than acquired.
Usage
Commonly used to describe natural resources (天然气 natural gas), unprocessed foods and materials, or innate personal qualities. In modern usage, it's frequently seen in product descriptions emphasizing 'natural' or 'organic' qualities. Can be used both as an attributive adjective before nouns or as a predicate.
Examples
- 01这些蔬菜都是天然无污染的。.These vegetables are all natural and pollution-free.
- 02我们国家有丰富的天然资源。.Our country has abundant natural resources.
Characters
Common collocations
- 天然气natural gas
- 天然资源natural resources
- 天然食品natural foods
- 纯天然all-natural, purely natural
Antonyms
Origin
Combines 天 (heaven/nature) with 然 (in that state/manner), literally meaning 'in the state given by nature.' This compound emphasizes things existing in their original, heaven-given form.