<p>然 means 对(right). The whole sentence means <em>know it's right and why (it's right).</em></p>
<p>P.S. The sentence could be interpreted either way.</p>
<p>知其然还要知其所以然</p>
<p>知: to know</p>
<p>其: it (它)</p>
<p>然: (according to dictionaries, it could mean:) pron. 这样 or adj. 对</p>
<p>It could make sense to interpret it as</p>
<p>知/其/然: 知道/它/这样 or 对.</p>
<p>I would take either 知道它对 or 知道它这样 as a possible interpretation given the sentence standing alone.</p>
<p>知其所以然 means either 知道它为什么这样 or 知道它为什么对.</p>
<p>Note: I might be in minority group here since most of people would only take the other interpretation as the only possible one.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-10T13:45:22.190Z
对(right/ correct) is an extended meaning of 然 e.g. 然也 = 正是如此 = it is exactly so --> it is correct. But the meaning of 'correct'  doesn't fit this context, EEQ's answer is the correct one
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-10T21:08:04.750Z
@TangHo I think grammatically the sentence could be interpreted either way, though it's always been interpreted the other way as the answer shows. I just updated my answer.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-10T02:08:29.007Z
2022-08-11T00:15:17.863Z
2022-08-11T00:15:17.863Z
dan
<p>然 means 这样/如此。知其然亦知其所以然：Know it is so and understand why it is so. In other words: Not only know about the surface/observable fact or phenomenon （&quot;what/how&quot;）, but also understand the nature and underlying causes of said phenomenon (&quot;why&quot;).</p>
<p>See: <a href="https://www.zdic.net/hans/%E7%9F%A5%E5%85%B6%E7%84%B6%E8%80%8C%E4%B8%8D%E7%9F%A5%E5%85%B6%E6%89%80%E4%BB%A5%E7%84%B6" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Reference 1</a>, <a href="https://cd.hwxnet.com/view/kboolcdbalaplcfb.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Reference 2</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-10T08:10:55.757Z
personally I think this is the correct answer.
sicheng mao
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2022-08-10T11:41:46.473Z
@sicheng mao Agree.
joehua
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-10T12:00:08.533Z
I agree it is the correct answer too. See 竟然( actually so)，果然(expectedly so)，要不然 (if not so)，然則 (if so, then)
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-10T17:53:31.510Z
Apparently, 所以然 means "the reason why" (or some variation thereof) according to several dictionaries on Pleco. Furthermore, one definition of 所以 itself (as per Xiandai Hanyu Guifan Cidian) is "实在的情由；适宜的言行举止". I would take this as further evidence that 然 does indeed mean "这样" (or some variation thereof) in both places in this sentence and as per EEQ's answer.
2ndQuantized
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-10T22:48:27.580Z
I added more context.
Pedroski
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-10T23:41:41.170Z
@Pedroski The context was fine. 知其然而不知其所以然(and variants) is an established and commonly used phrase, with two parts  that can each be used on their own. Since you know that 所以然 means 所以如此, it should be evident that 然 means 如此。
EEQ
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-11T07:46:35.607Z
Sorry if I seem a bit lacking in understanding. This poor old 老外 gets a bit confused sometimes! I'm not used to reading linguistics textbooks!
Pedroski
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-11T13:25:34.137Z
@Pedroski No need to apologise! Hopefully I've been of help.
EEQ
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-10T02:15:06.573Z
2022-08-10T08:35:07.313Z
2022-08-10T08:35:07.313Z
EEQ
<p>The first 然 in this sentence, does it mean 样子 or something else?</p>
<p>I added the whole paragraph for clarity.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>兼类词成为问题是因为我们对汉语词类的多功能现象缺乏理论解释。过去只是对形容词可以做谓语这一现象作出过一个解释，那就是动词包括形容词，形容词可以视为一种不及物动词
（赵元任 1968： 292）。至于其他的多功能现象，则只是就事论事， 没有任何解释。
研究要深入，就不仅要问怎么样，还要追问为什么，要知其<strong>然</strong>还要知其所以然。为什么在汉语里动词可以做主宾语，形容词可以做状语，名词经常做定语还可以有条件的做谓语和状语？“名动包含”格局将对这些问题作出统一的解释。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>沈家煊 名词和东词 第八十叶</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-10T02:25:23.810Z
What do you think the second 然 mean?
EEQ
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-10T08:02:42.223Z
Looking at: 怎么样, I thought 样子：form but I felt that is not quite right. I think dan is right, with right (no pun intended).
Pedroski
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-10T08:17:01.407Z
I was more curious about why you think the two 然 have different meanings (as implied by your question). As of the meaning of 然, well you get the gist anyway, but consider this: if 然 means “right”, what exactly is being referred to as right in this sentence?
EEQ
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-10T13:55:56.093Z
@Pedroski I agree with EEQ, see my comments on the answers
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-10T23:24:12.553Z
The phrase 所以然 意思是： .所以如此。指原因或道理。the reason why
Pedroski
<meaning-in-context>
The first 然 in 要知其然还要知其所以然, does it mean 样子 or something else?
# The first 然 in 要知其然还要知其所以然, does it mean 样子 or something else?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-08-10)

The first 然 in this sentence, does it mean 样子 or something else?

I added the whole paragraph for clarity.

> 兼类词成为问题是因为我们对汉语词类的多功能现象缺乏理论解释。过去只是对形容词可以做谓语这一现象作出过一个解释，那就是动词包括形容词，形容词可以视为一种不及物动词
> （赵元任 1968： 292）。至于其他的多功能现象，则只是就事论事， 没有任何解释。
> 研究要深入，就不仅要问怎么样，还要追问为什么，要知其**然**还要知其所以然。为什么在汉语里动词可以做主宾语，形容词可以做状语，名词经常做定语还可以有条件的做谓语和状语？“名动包含”格局将对这些问题作出统一的解释。

沈家煊 名词和东词 第八十叶

**Tags:** meaning-in-context

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: What do you think the second 然 mean?  
> **username_0**: Looking at: 怎么样, I thought 样子：form but I felt that is not quite right. I think dan is right, with right (no pun intended).  
> **username_1**: I was more curious about why you think the two 然 have different meanings (as implied by your question). As of the meaning of 然, well you get the gist anyway, but consider this: if 然 means “right”, what exactly is being referred to as right in this sentence?  
> **username_2**: @username_0 I agree with EEQ, see my comments on the answers  
> **username_0**: The phrase 所以然 意思是： .所以如此。指原因或道理。the reason why  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2022-08-10. Score: 0 | Accepted answer

然 means 对(right). The whole sentence means *know it's right and why (it's right).*

P.S. The sentence could be interpreted either way.

知其然还要知其所以然

知: to know

其: it (它)

然: (according to dictionaries, it could mean:) pron. 这样 or adj. 对

It could make sense to interpret it as

知/其/然: 知道/它/这样 or 对.

I would take either 知道它对 or 知道它这样 as a possible interpretation given the sentence standing alone.

知其所以然 means either 知道它为什么这样 or 知道它为什么对.

Note: I might be in minority group here since most of people would only take the other interpretation as the only possible one.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: 对(right/ correct) is an extended meaning of 然 e.g. 然也 = 正是如此 = it is exactly so --> it is correct. But the meaning of 'correct'  doesn't fit this context, EEQ's answer is the correct one  
> **username_3**: @username_2 I think grammatically the sentence could be interpreted either way, though it's always been interpreted the other way as the answer shows. I just updated my answer.  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2022-08-10. Score: 8

然 means 这样/如此。知其然亦知其所以然：Know it is so and understand why it is so. In other words: Not only know about the surface/observable fact or phenomenon （"what/how"）, but also understand the nature and underlying causes of said phenomenon ("why").

See: [Reference 1](https://www.zdic.net/hans/%E7%9F%A5%E5%85%B6%E7%84%B6%E8%80%8C%E4%B8%8D%E7%9F%A5%E5%85%B6%E6%89%80%E4%BB%A5%E7%84%B6), [Reference 2](https://cd.hwxnet.com/view/kboolcdbalaplcfb.html)

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: personally I think this is the correct answer.  
> **username_5**: @username_4 Agree.  
> **username_2**: I agree it is the correct answer too. See 竟然( actually so)，果然(expectedly so)，要不然 (if not so)，然則 (if so, then)  
> **username_6**: Apparently, 所以然 means "the reason why" (or some variation thereof) according to several dictionaries on Pleco. Furthermore, one definition of 所以 itself (as per Xiandai Hanyu Guifan Cidian) is "实在的情由；适宜的言行举止". I would take this as further evidence that 然 does indeed mean "这样" (or some variation thereof) in both places in this sentence and as per EEQ's answer.  
> **username_0**: I added more context.  
> **username_1**: @username_0 The context was fine. 知其然而不知其所以然(and variants) is an established and commonly used phrase, with two parts  that can each be used on their own. Since you know that 所以然 means 所以如此, it should be evident that 然 means 如此。  
> **username_0**: Sorry if I seem a bit lacking in understanding. This poor old 老外 gets a bit confused sometimes! I'm not used to reading linguistics textbooks!  
> **username_1**: @username_0 No need to apologise! Hopefully I've been of help.  

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