雖然

See also: 虽然

Chinese

		although; even though	so; thus; like this so; thus; like this; ‑ly; correct; right
trad. (雖然)		雖	然
simp. (虽然)		虽	然

Pronunciation

Rime
Character	雖	然
Reading #	1/1	1/1
Initial (聲)	心 (16)	日 (38)
Final (韻)	脂 (16)	仙 (77)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Closed	Open
Division (等)	III	III
Fanqie	息遺切	如延切
Baxter	swij	nyen
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/siuɪ/	/ȵiᴇn/
Pan Wuyun	/sʷi/	/ȵiɛn/
Shao Rongfen	/sjuɪ/	/ȵʑjæn/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/swi/	/ȵian/
Li Rong	/sui/	/ȵiɛn/
Wang Li	/swi/	/ȵʑĭɛn/
Bernard Karlgren	/swi/	/ȵʑi̯ɛn/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	suī	rán
Expected Cantonese Reflex	seoi1	jin4

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	雖	然
Reading #	1/1	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	suī	rán
Middle Chinese	‹ swij ›	‹ nyen ›
Old Chinese	/*s-qʷij/	/*[n]a[n]/
English	although; even if	so, thus; (adv suffix)
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	雖	然
Reading #	1/1	1/1
No.	12844	10756
Phonetic component	唯	肰
Rime group	脂	元
Rime subdivision	2	2
Corresponding MC rime	綏	然
Old Chinese	/*sqʰʷi/	/*njen/

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): suīrán, suírán

  (Zhuyin): ㄙㄨㄟ ㄖㄢˊ, ㄙㄨㄟˊ ㄖㄢˊ

  (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): xu¹ ran²

  (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): суйжан (suyřan, I-I)

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): seoi¹ jin⁴

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): lhui¹ ngen^3*

• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): sûi-yèn / sûi-yàn

  (Hailu, HRS): sui^ˋ rhan

  (Meixian, Guangdong): sui¹ yan²

• Eastern Min (BUC): chŭi-iòng
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): sui-liân / sui-jiân

  (Teochew, Peng'im): sui¹ riêng⁵ / sui¹ riang⁵

• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ¹soe-zoe

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: suīrán
    • Zhuyin: ㄙㄨㄟ ㄖㄢˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: sueirán
    • Wade–Giles: sui¹-jan²
    • Yale: swēi-rán
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: sueiran
    • Palladius: суйжань (sujžanʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /su̯eɪ̯⁵⁵ ʐän³⁵/
      
  • (Standard Chinese, variant in Mainland)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: suírán → suíran (toneless final syllable variant)
    • Zhuyin: ㄙㄨㄟˊ ㄖㄢˊ → ㄙㄨㄟˊ ˙ㄖㄢ (toneless final syllable variant)
    • Tongyong Pinyin: suéirån
    • Wade–Giles: sui²-jan⁵
    • Yale: swéi-ran
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: swei.ran
    • Palladius: суйжань (sujžanʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /su̯eɪ̯³⁵ ʐän³⁵/ → /su̯eɪ̯³⁵ ʐän³/
  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: xu¹ ran²
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: xyrhan
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕy⁵⁵ zan²¹/
  • (Dungan)
    • Cyrillic and Wiktionary: суйжан (suyřan, I-I)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /suei²⁴ ʐæ̃²⁴/

    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: seoi¹ jin⁴
    • Yale: sēui yìhn
    • Cantonese Pinyin: soey¹ jin⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: sêu¹ yin⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɵy̯⁵⁵ jiːn²¹/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: lhui¹ ngen^3*
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɬui³³ ᵑɡen²²⁻²²⁵/
• Hakka
  • (Northern Sixian, incl. Miaoli)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: sûi-yèn
    • Hakka Romanization System: sui^ˊ ien^ˇ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: sui¹ yan²
    • Sinological IPA: /su̯i²⁴ i̯en¹¹/
  • (Southern Sixian, incl. Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: sûi-yàn
    • Hakka Romanization System: sui^ˊ (r)ian^ˇ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: sui¹ yan²
    • Sinological IPA: /su̯i²⁴ (j)i̯an¹¹/
  • (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
    • Hakka Romanization System: sui^ˋ rhan
    • Sinological IPA: /sui⁵³ ʒan⁵⁵/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: sui¹ yan²
    • Sinological IPA: /suɪ⁴⁴⁻³⁵ ian¹¹/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: chŭi-iòng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰui⁵⁵ yoŋ⁵³/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Taipei)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sui-liân
    • Tâi-lô: sui-liân
    • Phofsit Daibuun: suilieen
    • IPA (Taipei): /sui⁴⁴⁻³³ liɛn²⁴/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /sui³³ liɛn²⁴/
    • IPA (Xiamen): /sui⁴⁴⁻²² liɛn²⁴/
  • (Hokkien: Zhangzhou, Kaohsiung)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sui-jiân
    • Tâi-lô: sui-jiân
    • Phofsit Daibuun: suijieen
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /sui⁴⁴⁻³³ ziɛn²³/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /sui⁴⁴⁻²² d͡ziɛn¹³/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: sui¹ riêng⁵ / sui¹ riang⁵
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: sui jiêng / sui jiâng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sui³³⁻²³ d͡zieŋ⁵⁵/, /sui³³⁻²³ d͡ziaŋ⁵⁵/

Note: sui1 riêng5 - Chaozhou.

• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ¹soe-zoe
    • MiniDict: soe^平 zoe
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ¹soe-zoe
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /sø⁵⁵ zø²¹/

---

• Middle Chinese: swij nyen

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*s-qʷij  [n]a[n]/

  (Zhengzhang): /*sqʰʷi  njen/

Conjunction

雖然

1. although

   雖然我沒有車，但是我需要學習如何開車。 [MSC, trad.]
   虽然我没有车，但是我需要学习如何开车。 [MSC, simp.]

   Suīrán wǒ méiyǒu chē, dànshì wǒ xūyào xuéxí rúhé kāichē. [Pinyin]

   Although I don't have a car, I need to learn how to drive.

   王秀英雖然考了第一，但是她一點也不驕傲。 [MSC, trad.]
   王秀英虽然考了第一，但是她一点也不骄傲。 [MSC, simp.]

   Wáng Xiùyīng suīrán kǎo le dìyī, dànshì tā yīdiǎn yě bù jiāo'ào. [Pinyin]

   Although Wang Xiuying scored first in the exam, she was not at all arrogant about it.

   豆汁雖然難喝，但是它有具有養胃、解毒、清火的功效。 [MSC, trad.]
   豆汁虽然难喝，但是它有具有养胃、解毒、清火的功效。 [MSC, simp.]

   Dòuzhī suīrán nán hē, dànshì tā yǒu jùyǒu yǎngwèi, jiědú, qīnghuǒ de gōngxiào. [Pinyin]

   Although douzhi is difficult to drink, it can nourish the stomach, and relieve internal heat and inflammation.

2. (Classical) although so; despite this; nevertheless; that being said

   • 諸侯之禮，吾未之學也；雖然，吾嘗聞之矣。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     诸侯之礼，吾未之学也；虽然，吾尝闻之矣。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE

     Zhūhóu zhī lǐ, wú wèi zhī xué yě; suīrán, wú cháng wén zhī yǐ. [Pinyin]

     I have not learnt the ceremonies observed by the princes. Nevertheless, I have heard about them.

   • 王曰：「雖然，必告不穀。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     王曰：「虽然，必告不谷。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4^th century BCE

     Wáng yuē: “Suīrán, bì gào bùgǔ.” [Pinyin]

     The King of Chu said, "That being said, you have to tell me."

Usage notes

Unlike in English, in Chinese it is customary for 雖然／虽然 (suīrán, “although”) to be followed by 但是 (dànshì, “but; however”).

Synonyms

• (although):

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		雖
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		雖然, 雖則, 雖說
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	雖然
	Taiwan	雖然
	Harbin	雖說
	Singapore	雖然
Central Plains Mandarin	Luoyang	雖說
	Xi'an	雖說
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	雖然, 雖說
Jianghuai Mandarin	Yangzhou	雖說
Cantonese	Guangzhou	雖然, 雖則
	Hong Kong	雖然, 雖則
	Taishan	雖然
	Singapore (Guangfu)	雖然
Gan	Nanchang	雖話
Hakka	Meixian	雖然
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	雖然
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	雖然
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	雖然
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	雖然
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	雖然
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	雖然
Huizhou	Jixi	雖則其然
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	雖然
Southern Min	Xiamen	雖然, 雖罔, 雖講
	Quanzhou	雖然
	Zhangzhou	雖然, 雖罔
	Tainan	雖然, 雖罔
	Singapore (Hokkien)	雖然
	Manila (Hokkien)	雖然
	Jieyang	雖呾, 名呾
	Singapore (Teochew)	雖然
Wu	Shanghai	雖然, 雖則
	Shanghai (Chongming)	雖則
	Ningbo	雖則
Xiang	Changsha	雖然得, 雖然得是

Dialectal synonyms of 雖然 (“although”) [map]

Related terms

• 固然 (gùrán)

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (雖然):

• → Vietnamese: tuy nhiên (雖然)