HSK 5
居然
jūrán
surprisingly
Structure
Subject + 居然 + Verb / Adjective
How it works
The adverb '居然' (jūrán) is used to indicate that something is unexpected or surprising, often suggesting that it goes against common sense or what was anticipated. It emphasizes the speaker's astonishment and usually appears before the verb or adjective.
Examples
这么简单的问题，他居然回答不出来。
Zhème jiǎndān de wèntí, tā jūrán huídá bù chūlái.
Surprisingly, he couldn't even answer such a simple question.
没想这次考试你居然拿了第一名！
Méi xiǎng zhè cì kǎoshì nǐ jūrán nále dì-yī míng!
I didn't expect that you would actually take first place in this exam!
他在北京住了十年，居然没去过长城。
Tā zài Běijīng zhùle shí nián, jūrán méi qùguo Chángchéng.
He lived in Beijing for ten years, yet surprisingly he has never been to the Great Wall.
Common mistakes
Placing '居然' before the subject (e.g., '居然他...') is incorrect; it must follow the subject.
Tip
Think of '居然' as a stronger version of '竟然' (jìngrán). It is often paired with '没想到' (méi xiǎngdào - didn't expect) to further emphasize the shock.
More HSK 5 grammar
See 居然 in real Chinese
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