果然

• Pinyin: guǒ rán
• Hanzi breakdown: 果 = 田 (field) + 木 (tree) — fruit on a tree, hence 'result'; 然 = 月 (flesh) + 犬 (dog) + 灬 (fire) — originally burning meat, extended to 'thus/so'

Meaning

As expected; sure enough; indeed. Confirms that something happened just as predicted.

An adverb used to confirm that a result matches a prior expectation or prediction. Placed before the verb or adjective it modifies. The speaker must have had a prior expectation for 果然 to be appropriate. Often used to express satisfaction that a prediction was correct.

Examples

1. 天气预报说今天下雨，果然下雨了。 The forecast said it would rain today, and sure enough it did.
2. 大家都说这家餐厅好吃，果然名不虚传。 Everyone said this restaurant was delicious, and indeed its reputation was well-deserved.
3. 他平时学习很努力，考试果然考得很好。 He usually studies very hard, and as expected he did very well on the exam.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, narrative, commentary

Tone: confirmatory

Do Say

• 我就知道会迟到，他果然迟到了。(I knew he'd be late, and sure enough he was.)
• 听说这本书很好看，看了以后果然如此。(I heard this book was great, and after reading it, it really was.)

Don't Say

• 我没想到他会来，他果然来了。(Don't use 果然 when you didn't expect something — it requires a prior expectation. Say 我没想到他会来，没想到他真的来了.)

Origin & History

Compound of 果 (fruit/result) and 然 (so/thus). Literally 'the result is thus' — meaning the outcome is as expected.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal