Comparison of '忽然' and '突然'

In Chinese, both "忽然" (hūrán) and "突然" (tūrán) are used to describe suddenness or abruptness, but they have slightly different nuances and usage contexts.

忽然 (hūrán)

"忽然" typically describes something happening suddenly or unexpectedly, often with an emphasis on the unexpectedness or surprise of the event. It conveys a sense of abruptness or sudden change in a situation.

• For example: 他忽然出现在门口。(Tā hūrán chūxiàn zài ménkǒu.) - He suddenly appeared at the door.
• For example: 忽然下起了大雨。(Hūrán xià qǐle dà yǔ.) - Suddenly, it started to rain heavily.

突然 (tūrán)

"突然" also describes something happening suddenly or unexpectedly, but it emphasizes the abruptness or suddenness of the event even more strongly. It conveys a sense of something happening out of the blue or without warning.

• For example: 突然停电了。(Tūrán tíngdiànle.) - The power suddenly went out.
• For example: 突然感到头晕。(Tūrán gǎndào tóuyūn.) - Suddenly felt dizzy.

Key Differences

• Emphasis: While both words describe suddenness, "忽然" often emphasizes the unexpectedness or surprise of the event, whereas "突然" emphasizes the abruptness or suddenness even more strongly.
• Usage: "忽然" can be used in both formal and informal contexts, while "突然" is often used in more formal or written contexts.

Examples

Here are some example sentences illustrating the differences between "忽然" and "突然":

• 忽然 (hūrán):
  • 他忽然出现在门口。(Tā hūrán chūxiàn zài ménkǒu.) - He suddenly appeared at the door.
  • 忽然下起了大雨。(Hūrán xià qǐle dà yǔ.) - Suddenly, it started to rain heavily.
• 突然 (tūrán):
  • 突然停电了。(Tūrán tíngdiànle.) - The power suddenly went out.
  • 突然感到头晕。(Tūrán gǎndào tóuyūn.) - Suddenly felt dizzy.