然 means “so, natural”

ぜん · zen

Also: sort of thing, if so, in that case

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

しか, しかり, しかし, さ

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ゼン, ネン

JLPT N3 · Taught in grade 4 · 12 strokes

The story

Meat (⺼) and a dog (犬) over a fire (灬): 然 first meant "burn", a job later handed to 燃, which adds one more fire (火). Today it means "in that way": 自然 is nature, 当然 is "of course", 突然 is "suddenly".

Used in 自然 (shizen, nature), 当然 (touzen, of course), and 突然 (totsuzen, suddenly)

More from Cause & Reason

• 限 limit
• 非 not
• 完 complete
• 因 cause
• 当 hit
• 性 nature
• 的 target
• 要 need
• 直 straight
• 果 fruit
• 必 certain
• 無 nothing

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Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.