突然/忽然 tūrán / hūrán
突然/忽然（tūrán / hūrán）means “suddenly; all of a sudden”. 突然 and 忽然 both mean "suddenly," describing something that happens unexpectedly and fast. Formation: (主语) + 突然/忽然 + 动词
suddenly; all of a sudden
HSK3Formation
(主语) + 突然/忽然 + 动词
Explanation
突然 and 忽然 both mean "suddenly," describing something that happens unexpectedly and fast. As adverbs they go before the verb. 突然 can also be an adjective ("sudden"), while 忽然 is only an adverb.
Examples
天 突然 下雨了。
tiān tūrán xià yǔ le.
It suddenly started raining.
他 忽然 站起来。
tā hūrán zhàn qǐlai.
He suddenly stood up.
Note
Only 突然 can modify a noun (突然的变化); 忽然 cannot.
FAQ
突然/忽然 — what does it mean and how is it used?
suddenly; all of a sudden. 突然 and 忽然 both mean "suddenly," describing something that happens unexpectedly and fast. As adverbs they go before the verb. 突然 can also be an adjective ("sudden"), while 忽然 is only an adverb.
突然/忽然 — how do you form it?
(主语) + 突然/忽然 + 动词
突然/忽然 — any usage notes?
Only 突然 can modify a noun (突然的变化); 忽然 cannot.