然
Usages
3 distinct jobs 然 does in the Analects, each with examples from the text.
1Affirmative (yes, it is so)
Used to affirm a statement, equivalent to "yes" or "it is so." Its negative is 否 (fǒu) or 不然 (bù rán).
仲弓問子桑伯子，子曰：「可也簡。」仲弓曰：「居敬而行簡，以臨其民，不亦可乎？居簡而行簡，無乃大簡乎？」子曰：「雍之言然。」
Zhonggong asked about Zisang Bozi. The Master said: "He may pass. He does not mind small matters." Zhonggong said: "If a man cherish in himself a reverential feeling of the necessity of attention to business, though he may be easy in small matters in his government of the people, that may be allowed. But if he cherish in himself that easy feeling, and also carry it out in his practice, is not such an easy mode of procedure excessive?" The Master said: "Yong's words are right."
Legge 1861
雍之言然
然 stands as the whole predicate.
子曰：「賜也，女以予為多學而識之者與？」對曰：「然，非與？」曰：「非也，予一以貫之。」
The Master said: "Ci, you think, I suppose, that I am one who learns many things and keeps them in memory?" Zigong replied: "Yes, — but perhaps it is not so?" "No," was the answer; "I seek a unity all-pervading."
Legge 1861
然，非與
然 answers "so it is".
王孫賈問曰：「與其媚於奧，寧媚於竈，何謂也？」子曰：「不然，獲罪於天，無所禱也。」
Wangsun Jia asked, saying: "What is the meaning of the saying, 'It is better to pay court to the furnace than to the south-west corner?'" The Master said: "Not so. He who offends against Heaven has none to whom he can pray."
Legge 1861
不然，獲罪於天
然 = "so", negated by 不.
2Adverb suffix (-ly)
Attached to adjectives to form adverbs, similar to the English -ly suffix. Creates vivid descriptive expressions.
顏淵喟然歎曰：「仰之彌高，鑽之彌堅；瞻之在前，忽焉在後。夫子循循然善誘人，博我以文，約我以禮。欲罷不能，既竭吾才，如有所立卓爾。雖欲從之，末由也已。」
Yan Yuan, in admiration of the Master's doctrines, sighed and said: "I looked up to them, and they seemed to become more high; I tried to penetrate them, and they seemed to become more firm; I looked at them before me, and suddenly they seemed to be behind. The Master, by orderly method, skillfully leads men on. He enlarged my mind with learning, and taught me the restraints of propriety. When I wish to give over the study of his doctrines, I cannot do so, and having exerted all my ability, there seems something to stand right up before me; but though I wish to follow and lay hold of it, I really find no way to do so."
Legge 1861
顏淵喟然歎曰
喟然 = with a deep sigh (sighing-ly)
長沮、桀溺耦而耕，孔子過之，使子路問津焉。長沮曰：「夫執輿者為誰？」子路曰：「為孔丘。」曰：「是魯孔丘與？」曰：「是也。」曰：「是知津矣。」問於桀溺，桀溺曰：「子為誰？」曰：「為仲由。」曰：「是魯孔丘之徒與？」對曰：「然。」曰：「滔滔者天下皆是也，而誰以易之？且而與其從辟人之士也，豈若從辟世之士哉？」耰而不輟。子路行以告。夫子憮然曰：「鳥獸不可與同群，吾非斯人之徒與而誰與？天下有道，丘不與易也。」
Changju and Jieni were at work in the field together, when Confucius passed by them, and sent Zilu to inquire for the ford. Changju said: "Who is he that holds the reins in the carriage there?" Zilu told him: "It is Kong Qiu." "Is it not Kong Qiu of Lu?" asked he. "Yes," was the reply, to which the other added: "He knows the ford." Zilu then inquired of Jieni, who said to him: "Who are you, sir?" He answered: "I am Zhongyou." "Are you not the disciple of Kong Qiu of Lu?" asked the other. "I am," replied he, and then Jieni said to him: "Disorder, like a swelling flood, spreads over the whole empire, and who is he that will change it for you? Than follow one who merely withdraws from this one and that one, had you not better follow those who have withdrawn from the world altogether?" With this he fell to covering up the seed, and proceeded with his work, without stopping. Zilu went and reported their remarks, when the Master observed with a sigh: "It is impossible to associate with birds and beasts, as if they were the same with us. If I associate not with these people — with mankind — with whom shall I associate? If right principles prevailed through the empire, there would be no use for me to change its state."
Legge 1861
夫子憮然曰
憮然 — 然 makes the manner adverbial.
子路、曾皙、冉有、公西華侍坐。子曰：「以吾一日長乎爾，毋吾以也。居則曰：「不吾知也！』如或知爾，則何以哉？」子路率爾而對曰：「千乘之國，攝乎大國之間，加之以師旅，因之以饑饉；由也為之，比及三年，可使有勇，且知方也。」夫子哂之。「求！爾何如？」對曰：「方六七十，如五六十，求也為之，比及三年，可使足民。如其禮樂，以俟君子。」「赤！爾何如？」對曰：「非曰能之，願學焉。宗廟之事，如會同，端章甫，願為小相焉。」「點！爾何如？」鼓瑟希，鏗爾，舍瑟而作。對曰：「異乎三子者之撰。」子曰：「何傷乎？亦各言其志也。」曰：「莫春者，春服既成。冠者五六人，童子六七人，浴乎沂，風乎舞雩，詠而歸。」夫子喟然歎曰：「吾與點也！」三子者出，曾皙後。曾皙曰：「夫三子者之言何如？」子曰：「亦各言其志也已矣。」曰：「夫子何哂由也？」曰：「為國以禮，其言不讓，是故哂之。」「唯求則非邦也與？」「安見方六七十如五六十而非邦也者？」「唯赤則非邦也與？」「宗廟會同，非諸侯而何？赤也為之小，孰能為之大？」
Zilu, Zeng Xi, Ran You, and Gongxi Hua were sitting by the Master. He said to them: "Though I am a day or so older than you, do not think of that. From day to day you are saying, 'We are not known.' If some ruler were to know you, what would you like to do?" Zilu hastily and lightly replied: "Suppose the case of a State of ten thousand chariots; let it be straitened between other large States; let it be suffering from invading armies; and to this let there be added a famine in corn and in all vegetables: — if I were entrusted with the government of it, in three years' time I could make the people to be bold, and to recognize the rules of righteous conduct." The Master smiled at him. Turning to Ran You, he said: "Qiu, what are your wishes?" Qiu replied: "Suppose a state of sixty or seventy li square, or one of fifty or sixty, and let me have the government of it; — in three years' time, I could make plenty to abound among the people. As to teaching them the rules of propriety and music, I must wait for the rise of a superior man to do that." "And what are your wishes, Chi?" said the Master to Gongxi Hua. Chi replied: "I do not say that my ability extends to these things, but I should like to learn them. At the services of the ancestral temple, and at the audiences of the princes with the emperor, I should like, dressed in the dark-colored cap and robes, to act as a small assistant." Last of all, the Master asked Zeng Xi: "Dian, what are your wishes?" Dian, pausing as he was playing on his lute, while it was yet twanging, laid the instrument aside, and rose. "My wishes," he said, "are different from the cherished purposes of these three gentlemen." "What harm is there in that?" said the Master; "do you also, as well as they, speak out your wishes." Dian then said: "In this, the last month of spring, with the dress of the season all complete, along with five or six young men who have assumed the cap, and six or seven boys, I would wash in the Yi, enjoy the breeze among the rain altars, and return home singing." The Master heaved a sigh and said: "I give my approval to Dian."
Legge 1861
夫子喟然歎曰
喟然 = with a deep sigh
3Connective (then, after that)
In the phrase 然後, means "after that" or "only then." Indicates sequence or necessary precondition.
子曰：「質勝文則野，文勝質則史。文質彬彬，然後君子。」
The Master said: "Where the solid qualities are in excess of accomplishments, we have rusticity; where the accomplishments are in excess of the solid qualities, we have the manners of a clerk. When the accomplishments and solid qualities are equally blended, we then have the man of virtue."
Legge 1861
文質彬彬，然後君子
然後 = only then, after that
子曰：「吾自衛反魯，然後樂正，雅頌各得其所。」
The Master said: "I returned from Wei to Lu, and then the music was reformed, and the odes of the royal songs and praise songs all found their proper places."
Legge 1861
吾自衛反魯，然後樂正
然後 = after that, then
子路使子羔為費宰。子曰：「賊夫人之子。」子路曰：「有民人焉，有社稷焉。何必讀書，然後為學？」子曰：「是故惡夫佞者。」
Zilu got Zigao appointed governor of Bi. The Master said: "You are injuring a man's son." Zilu said: "There are, there, common people and officers; there are the altars of the spirits of the land and grain. Why must one read books, before he can be considered to have learned?" The Master said: "It is on this account that I hate your glib-tongued people."
Legge 1861
何必讀書，然後為學
然後 = only after that.
Combos
2 fixed patterns built on 然, with the role each plays and where to read them.
"After that" / "Only then" / "Subsequently"
9.28 子曰：「歲寒，然後知松柏之後彫也。」
Indicates sequence or necessary precondition.
"If so, then..." / "In that case..."
11.16 子貢問：「師與商也孰賢？」子曰：「師也過，商也不及。」曰：「然則師愈與？」子曰：「過猶不及。」
Draws a conclusion based on what was just stated.