Meaning
居然 expresses surprise at an unexpected outcome or situation. It emphasizes that something happened contrary to what was anticipated or seemed likely. The speaker uses it to highlight the surprising nature of a result, often implying disbelief or amazement.
Usage
居然 typically appears before the verb in a sentence and conveys a sense of astonishment. It's commonly used when the actual outcome differs significantly from expectations, whether positively or negatively. Often paired with 竟然 (jìng rán), which is slightly more emphatic. Native speakers use it in both spoken and written contexts to express genuine surprise.
Examples
- 01他居然通过了那么难的考试。.He surprisingly passed such a difficult exam.
- 02我们十年没见，她居然还记得我的名字。, .We hadn't seen each other for ten years, yet she surprisingly still remembered my name.
Characters
Common collocations
- 居然不知道surprisingly didn't know
- 居然成功了unexpectedly succeeded
- 居然是真的surprisingly it's true
Antonyms
Origin
居 originally meant 'to dwell' or 'to occupy a position,' while 然 means 'thus' or 'so.' Together, 居然 literally suggests 'being in such a state,' which evolved to mean 'unexpectedly being the case.'