不然
HSK 4 (2021)Old HSK 5
不然 (bùrán) · otherwise
不然 (bùrán) means “otherwise; or else”. It is written with 2 characters: 不 (not) + 然 (certainly). It is an HSK 4 word in the 2021 standard.
How 不然 is built
The characters
不 bù · not
What 不 is made of
- 一 — horizontal stroke
Origin hint: A bird flying toward the sky 一 (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
然 rán · certainly
What 然 is made of
- 肰rán — dog meat
- ⺼ — meat
- 犬quǎn — dog
- 大dà — big
- 丶 — dot
- 灬huǒ — fire
Origin hint: 灬 gives the meaning, 肰 gives the sound. (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
Example sentences
快走吧，不然要迟到了。Kuài zǒu ba, bùrán yào chídào le.Let's hurry, or we'll be late.
多穿点衣服，不然会感冒。Duō chuān diǎn yīfu, bùrán huì gǎnmào.Put on more clothes, or you'll catch a cold.
Questions about 不然
What does 不然 mean?
不然 (bùrán) means “otherwise; or else”.
How do you pronounce 不然?
不然 is pronounced bùrán.
Which HSK level is 不然?
不然 is in HSK 4 (2021) and Old HSK 5.
Related words
- 不大bùdànot very
- 不对bùduìwrong
- 不客气bùkèqiyou are welcome
- 不用bùyòngno need
- 对不起duìbuqǐsorry
- 是不是shìbushìis it or not
- 不错bùcuònot bad
- 不但bùdànnot only (... but also ...)
- 不够bùgòunot enough
- 不过bùguòbut
Learn 不然 with its group
It is part of HSK 4 (2021) · Group 55: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.