竟然 jìng rán
“unexpectedly; to one's surprise; in spite of everything”
adverbHSK 4 · 2021 list level 4
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
竟然 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 1405: 竟然 jìngrán — Level 4; official annotation 4 (副). PDF page 115
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 竟然
竟然 means "unexpectedly" or "to one's surprise." It is an adverb placed before the verb or adjective phrase to show that the speaker finds the situation surprising. A typical pattern is subject + 竟然 + verb phrase.
例句Example sentences
- 他昨天竟然没来上课。tā zuó tiān jìng rán méi lái shàng kè.He unexpectedly didn't come to class yesterday.
- 这么难的题，你竟然做对了！zhè me nán de tí, nǐ jìng rán zuò duì le!Such a hard question, and you actually got it right!
- 我们找了半天，钥匙竟然在他口袋里。wǒ men zhǎo le bàn tiān, yào shi jìng rán zài tā kǒu dài lǐ.We looked for ages, and the keys were unexpectedly in his pocket.
常见错误Common mistakes
-
✗他迟到竟然了。
✓他竟然迟到了。
竟然 is an adverb and must come before the verb phrase, not after it.
-
✗他竟然地走了。
✓他竟然走了。
竟然 is a sentence adverb and does not take 地.