Expressing Concession with “chéngrán”
诚然
How it works
诚然 (chéngrán) means “admittedly,” “it is true that,” or “granted.” It is similar to 固然 (gùrán), but usually sounds even more formal and written.
It is commonly used in essays, speeches, academic argument, and serious written reasoning.
Example sentences
这种看法诚然有其合理之处，但如果只看到这一面，就难免失之片面。
There is admittedly some merit to this viewpoint, but considering only this side of the issue would lead to a one-sided conclusion.
经济发展速度诚然重要，但环境代价同样不容忽视。
The pace of economic development is admittedly important, but its environmental costs must not be ignored.
个人能力诚然会影响结果，可团队之间的合作往往更能决定事情能否真正做好。
Individual ability admittedly affects the outcome, but teamwork is often even more decisive in determining whether the job is done well.
Key point
诚然 (chéngrán) is highly formal and is especially suitable for written argumentation.