天然

• Pinyin: tiān rán
• Hanzi breakdown: 天 = heaven, nature; 然 = so, thus — natural, as nature made it

Meaning

Natural; occurring in nature; not artificial. Existing without human intervention or processing.

Used to describe things in their natural state: 天然气 (natural gas), 天然食品 (natural food), 天然美景 (natural scenery), 天然材料 (natural materials). Often appears in product marketing to emphasize purity. Can describe people: 天然呆 (naturally airheaded, innocent). Contrast with 人工 (artificial).

Examples

1. 这款护肤品采用天然植物提取物，不含任何化学添加剂。 This skincare product uses natural plant extracts and contains no chemical additives.
2. 西藏的天然美景让每一位游客都流连忘返。 The natural beauty of Tibet makes every visitor reluctant to leave.
3. 天然气是比煤炭更清洁的能源。 Natural gas is a cleaner energy source than coal.

Usage Guide

Context: products, environment, description

Tone: positive

Do Say

• 我更喜欢天然的东西。(I prefer natural things.)
• 这是天然形成的，不是人造的。(This formed naturally, it's not man-made.)

Don't Say

• 加工过的食品不能称为'天然' (Processed foods cannot be called 天然 — reserve it for unprocessed, natural items)

Origin & History

Compound of 天 (sky, heaven, nature) + 然 (so, thus). Literally means 'as nature made it' or 'naturally so.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal