断然, 公然, 哗然, 赫然: written 然-words

断然, 公然, 赫然 are rare bookish adverbs built on 然, while 哗然 is a bookish predicate of the same family. 断然 = resolutely, without hesitation (a decision): 断然决定停止合作. 公然 = openly, in plain sight (the act is disapproved of): 公然大声打电话. 哗然 = the roar of an outraged crowd: 顿时哗然. 赫然 = 'leaps to the eye', mostly in writing.

Examples

• 听到这个坏消息，经理断然决定停止合作。 Tīngdào zhège huài xiāoxi, jīnglǐ duànrán juédìng tíngzhǐ hézuò. Hearing this bad news, the manager resolutely called off the cooperation.
• 有人在图书馆里公然大声打电话，别人都很不满。 Yǒu rén zài túshūguǎn lǐ gōngrán dàshēng dǎ diànhuà, biérén dōu hěn bùmǎn. In the library someone was brazenly talking loudly on the phone, and everyone else was unhappy.
• 听到价格上涨的消息，顾客们顿时哗然。 Tīngdào jiàgé shàngzhǎng de xiāoxi, gùkèmen dùnshí huárán. On hearing that prices were going up, the customers were instantly in an uproar.

More in this chapter

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