突然 tūrán — suddenly, all at once
tūrán (first tone, high and level)tu1ran2
suddenly, all at once
HSK 3· HSK 1–4 (classic)Level 3· Three-band, nine-level standardadverbadjective
Meanings
suddenly, all at once
Something happening with no warning. As an adverb it sits before the verb — 他突然走了 — and the surprise belongs to the speaker, not to the event.
adverbabrupt, unexpected
adjective
Example sentences
- 他突然生病了，不能来上班。他突然生病了，不能來上班。Tā (first tone, high and level) tūrán (first tone, high and level) shēngbìng (first tone, high and level) le, (neutral tone) bù (fourth tone, falling) néng (second tone, rising) lái (second tone, rising) shàngbān. (fourth tone, falling)···
He suddenly fell ill and can’t come to work.
- 我们正在吃饭，他突然来了。我們正在吃飯，他突然來了。Wǒmen (third tone, dipping) zhèngzài (fourth tone, falling) chīfàn, (first tone, high and level) tā (first tone, high and level) tūrán (first tone, high and level) lái (second tone, rising) le. (neutral tone)···
We were in the middle of dinner when he suddenly turned up.
Common mistakes
Not quite他生病突然了。
Correct他突然生病了。
A Chinese adverb comes before the verb it modifies and never after it. The rule is the same for 已经, 就, 也, 都 and 一直 — the modifier leads.