How to say “of course” in Chinese
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Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Word by word
Tone tip
High flat 当, then a rising 然. Note 当 is dāng (first tone) here; the same character read dàng means 'to treat as'. 当然可以 (dāngrán kěyǐ) is 'of course you can'.
In a sentence
“Nǐ huì lái ma?” “Dāngrán!”
“Will you come?” “Of course!”
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
How do you say "of course" in Chinese?+
"of course" in Mandarin Chinese is 当然, pronounced dāngrán. High flat 当, then a rising 然. Note 当 is dāng (first tone) here; the same character read dàng means 'to treat as'. 当然可以 (dāngrán kěyǐ) is 'of course you can'.
What does 当然 mean literally?+
当然 breaks down as 当 (dāng) = ought / should, 然 (rán) = so / thus. Together it means "of course".
How do I get the tones right in dāngrán?+
High flat 当, then a rising 然. Note 当 is dāng (first tone) here; the same character read dàng means 'to treat as'. 当然可以 (dāngrán kěyǐ) is 'of course you can'.
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