<p>既然 base on some thing happened or decided.
如果 base on some thing not yet happened or decided.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-07-30T11:56:52.010Z
2023-07-30T11:56:52.010Z
xavierskip
<p>既然 = this being the case; since; as</p>
<p>如果 = in the event that; in case; if</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-07-30T15:49:34.643Z
2023-07-30T15:49:34.643Z
r13
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?wdqb=%E6%97%A2%E7%84%B6" rel="nofollow noreferrer">CC-CEDICT</a>: 既然 (jì​rán​) since / as / this being the case<br />
<a href="https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?wdqb=%E5%A6%82%E6%9E%9C" rel="nofollow noreferrer">CC-CEDICT</a>: 如果 (rú​guǒ​) if / in case / in the event that</p>
</blockquote>
<p>It took me a while to figure out why this question might be asked, as they seem to have no common definitions or meanings (although they do share common grammar structures and some collocations).  Then I looked up Chinese dictionaries (like <a href="https://www.zcdian.com/ci/b77ocv.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this</a>), and they define 既然 as:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>既然：<strong>表示前提</strong>，后再加以推论。 (expresses a premise, after which an inference is added)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>This definition indeed sounds close to an &quot;if&quot; statement (<a href="https://cd.hwxnet.com/view/ggdookdnnpmmkmfd.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">如果</a>：表示假设); after all, a premise may be false.  But a more detailed definition like <a href="https://www.zsbeike.com/hy/21180915.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this</a> makes it clearer:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>既然：<strong>提出已成为现实的或已肯定的前提</strong>作为条件或原因，推出结论或者提出疑问。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>So it's a true premise, not a false premise (or at least the speaker thinks so).  So this is where the difference lies...</p>
<blockquote>
<p>既然X，那么Y。  (Given X, so Y.)<br />
如果X，那么Y。  (If X, then Y.)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>In the 既然 sentence (unlike the 如果 sentence), the speaker considers X to be a fact or is something that has occurred.  That's the difference.</p>
<p>Let's look at some example sentences (generated by <a href="https://chatglm.cn/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">ChatGLM</a>).  Note I tend to translate 既然 to &quot;given (that)&quot;, since e.g. &quot;since&quot; has multiple other meanings in English.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>既然</strong>天气很好，<strong>那么</strong>我们出去散步吧。  (Given that the weather is good, let's go out for a stroll.)<br />
<strong>既然</strong>明天是周末，<strong>那么</strong>我们可以去放松一下。  (Given that tomorrow is the weekend, we can go and relax for a bit.)<br />
<strong>既然</strong>犯了错误，我们<strong>就</strong>要勇于改正。  (Given we've made a mistake, we must be brave enough to correct it.)<br />
<strong>既然</strong>喜欢这个城市，我们<strong>就</strong>多呆几天吧。  (Given that we like this city, let's stay a few more days.)<br />
<strong>既然</strong>下雨了，我们可以找个室内活动。  (Given that it's raining [now], we can find an indoor activity.)<br />
<strong>既然</strong>无法改变事实，我们只好接受现实。  (Given we can't change facts, we can only accept reality.)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>In all of these sentences, the speaker is asserting what's written after the 既然 is true or has happened.  It's close in meaning to 因为X，所以Y.</p>
<p>As for 如果:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>如果</strong>她同意，<strong>那么</strong>我们可以开始合作。  (If she agrees, then we can start collaborating.)<br />
<strong>如果</strong>考试不及格，<strong>那么</strong>我们需要更加努力学习。  (If we don't pass the test, then we need to study even harder.)<br />
<strong>如果</strong>明天是晴天，我们<strong>就</strong>去公园。  (If tomorrow is sunny, we'll go to the park.)<br />
<strong>如果</strong>你努力学习，<strong>就</strong>会取得好成绩。  (If you study hard, you'll get good marks.)<br />
<strong>如果</strong>你有时间，我们可以一起去看电影。  (If you have time, we can watch a movie together.)<br />
<strong>如果</strong>你能完成任务，你可以得到表扬。  (If you are able to complete this task, you may be commended.)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>In none of these sentences, is what's after the 如果 taken for granted.</p>
<p>Occasionally, 既然 and 如果 can be used interchangeably, which happens when we say 如果X, and X is obviously true:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>既然</strong>想取得好成绩，我们<strong>就</strong>要努力学习。  (Given that we want good grades, we should study hard.)<br />
<strong>如果</strong>想取得好成绩，我们<strong>就</strong>要努力学习。  (If we want good grades, we should study hard.)</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-07-30T13:19:43.023Z
2023-07-30T13:19:43.023Z
Becky 李蓓
<p>I have searched but cannot find  differences between 既然 and 如果. Can anyone help me ?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-07-30T09:17:55.403Z
既然 = since;  如果= if, what do you don't understand?
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-07-30T11:29:29.160Z
Perhaps he is asking what's the difference between "since" and "if"?
Wayne Cheah
<grammar>
Differences between 既然 and 如果?
# Differences between 既然 and 如果?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-07-30)

I have searched but cannot find differences between 既然 and 如果. Can anyone help me ?

**Tags:** grammar

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 既然 = since;  如果= if, what do you don't understand?  
> **username_2**: Perhaps he is asking what's the difference between "since" and "if"?  

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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2023-07-30. Score: 5

既然 base on some thing happened or decided.
如果 base on some thing not yet happened or decided.


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### Answer by username_4 on 2023-07-30. Score: 0

既然 = this being the case; since; as

如果 = in the event that; in case; if


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### Answer by username_5 on 2023-07-30. Score: 0

> [CC-CEDICT](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?wdqb=%E6%97%A2%E7%84%B6): 既然 (jì​rán​) since / as / this being the case  
> [CC-CEDICT](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?wdqb=%E5%A6%82%E6%9E%9C): 如果 (rú​guǒ​) if / in case / in the event that

It took me a while to figure out why this question might be asked, as they seem to have no common definitions or meanings (although they do share common grammar structures and some collocations). Then I looked up Chinese dictionaries (like [this](https://www.zcdian.com/ci/b77ocv.html)), and they define 既然 as:

> 既然：**表示前提**，后再加以推论。 (expresses a premise, after which an inference is added)

This definition indeed sounds close to an "if" statement ([如果](https://cd.hwxnet.com/view/ggdookdnnpmmkmfd.html)：表示假设); after all, a premise may be false. But a more detailed definition like [this](https://www.zsbeike.com/hy/21180915.html) makes it clearer:

> 既然：**提出已成为现实的或已肯定的前提**作为条件或原因，推出结论或者提出疑问。

So it's a true premise, not a false premise (or at least the speaker thinks so). So this is where the difference lies...

> 既然X，那么Y。 (Given X, so Y.)  
> 如果X，那么Y。 (If X, then Y.)

In the 既然 sentence (unlike the 如果 sentence), the speaker considers X to be a fact or is something that has occurred. That's the difference.

Let's look at some example sentences (generated by [ChatGLM](https://chatglm.cn/)). Note I tend to translate 既然 to "given (that)", since e.g. "since" has multiple other meanings in English.

> **既然**天气很好，**那么**我们出去散步吧。 (Given that the weather is good, let's go out for a stroll.)  
> **既然**明天是周末，**那么**我们可以去放松一下。 (Given that tomorrow is the weekend, we can go and relax for a bit.)  
> **既然**犯了错误，我们**就**要勇于改正。 (Given we've made a mistake, we must be brave enough to correct it.)  
> **既然**喜欢这个城市，我们**就**多呆几天吧。 (Given that we like this city, let's stay a few more days.)  
> **既然**下雨了，我们可以找个室内活动。 (Given that it's raining [now], we can find an indoor activity.)  
> **既然**无法改变事实，我们只好接受现实。 (Given we can't change facts, we can only accept reality.)

In all of these sentences, the speaker is asserting what's written after the 既然 is true or has happened. It's close in meaning to 因为X，所以Y.

As for 如果:

> **如果**她同意，**那么**我们可以开始合作。 (If she agrees, then we can start collaborating.)  
> **如果**考试不及格，**那么**我们需要更加努力学习。 (If we don't pass the test, then we need to study even harder.)  
> **如果**明天是晴天，我们**就**去公园。 (If tomorrow is sunny, we'll go to the park.)  
> **如果**你努力学习，**就**会取得好成绩。 (If you study hard, you'll get good marks.)  
> **如果**你有时间，我们可以一起去看电影。 (If you have time, we can watch a movie together.)  
> **如果**你能完成任务，你可以得到表扬。 (If you are able to complete this task, you may be commended.)

In none of these sentences, is what's after the 如果 taken for granted.

Occasionally, 既然 and 如果 can be used interchangeably, which happens when we say 如果X, and X is obviously true:

> **既然**想取得好成绩，我们**就**要努力学习。 (Given that we want good grades, we should study hard.)  
> **如果**想取得好成绩，我们**就**要努力学习。 (If we want good grades, we should study hard.)


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