自然
zìrán/t͡sɹ̩⁵¹ ɻän³⁵/
In Chinese, nature is expressed as 自然 (zìrán). Wiktionary also lists 造化 (zàohuà).
Meaning: the natural world and its order (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 自然 | zìrán | /t͡sɹ̩⁵¹ ɻän³⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /t͡sɹ̩⁵¹ ɻän¹/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) |
|
| 造化 | zàohuà | /t͡sɑʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ xu̯ä⁵¹/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /t͡sɔ⁴⁴ xua⁴⁴/ (Mandarin, Dungan, Sinological IPA) |
|
| 自然 | chū-liân / chīr-liân / chū-jiân / chī-liân | /t͡su²²⁻²¹ liɛn²⁴/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Taipei, Penang, Sinological IPA) /t͡su³³⁻¹¹ liɛn²⁴/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Taipei, Penang, Sinological IPA) |
Hokkien |
The term 自然 refers to the natural world and its order. It is very common to use the form 大自然 (dà zìrán) when referring to the physical, macroscopic natural world (e.g., forests, mountains and wildlife).
What does it mean word for word?
The term 造化 (zàohuà) literally means 'to create and transform,' often referring to the creative forces of nature or fate.
Which one should you use?
In Dungan, you may encounter the forms зыжан or зохуа. In Hokkien, the word is expressed as 自然.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Dungan, the forms зыжан and зохуа are used. In Hokkien, the form 自然 is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
In many contexts, 自然 functions as an adverb meaning 'naturally' or 'of course' to indicate that something follows a logical or expected course.
How do you pronounce it?
chū-liân / chīr-liân / chū-jiân / chī-liân
Did you know?
- The word 自然 is composed of two characters: 自, meaning 'self', and 然, which originally referred to 'burning' or 'glowing'.
- In Dungan, a Sinitic language spoken in Central Asia, the Chinese word 自然 is written as зыжан using the Cyrillic alphabet.
- In Chinese philosophy, the concept of 自然 is deeply tied to the idea of 'self-so' or 'being so of itself,' rather than just the environment outside of humans.
Examples in context
- 自然充满了神秘。Nature is full of mysteries.This sentence shows how to use the form 自然 to describe the mysteries of the natural world.Tatoeba #6047447 by verdastelo9604, translation #3129168 by WestofEden
- 人類是自然的一部分。Humans are part of nature.This sentence demonstrates how to use the form 自然 to describe the relationship between humans and nature.Tatoeba #5234814 by xjjAstrus, translation #5241603 by cinqhiboux
- 我喜欢在大自然中散步。I like taking walks in nature.This sentence illustrates the common expression for taking walks in nature using the form 自然.Tatoeba #2081689 by sadhen, translation #7213144 by ddnktr
- 自然是我们赖以生存的基础。Nature is the foundation upon which we rely for survival.
- 爬山是一种亲近自然的方式。Mountain climbing is a way to get closer to nature.
- 每天在大自然中散步可以舒缓压力。Taking a walk in nature every day can relieve stress.
- 我喜欢夏天的大自然，特别是在海边的沙滩上。I love the nature in summer, especially the beaches by the sea.
- 16 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Wei and Xiaowen are hiking in a forest.
- 伟 Wei这里的自然景观真美。zhèlǐ de zìrán jǐngguān zhēn měi.The natural scenery here is truly beautiful.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen没错，自然的力量很伟大。méicuò, zìrán de lìliàng hěn wěidà.That's true, the power of nature is great.
- 伟 Wei我们应该保护自然。wǒmen yīnggāi bǎohù zìrán.We should protect nature.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen我完全同意，伟。wǒ wánquán tóngyì, Wěi.I completely agree, Wei.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “nature” translations and entries 自然, 造化, 自然, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
