Expressing Transition with “rán’ér”
然而
How it works
然而 (rán’ér) means “however,” “nevertheless,” or “yet.” It is a formal connector used to introduce a turn in thought, especially in writing or serious speech.
Compared with 但是 (dànshì), 然而 (rán’ér) is more literary and often marks a stronger logical transition.
Example sentences
这项计划从理论上看似乎没有明显问题，然而真正实施起来却远比预想中困难。
This plan seems to have no obvious problems in theory; however, in actual implementation it is far more difficult than expected.
他一直努力想说服所有人，然而最终并没有人真正被打动。
He kept trying hard to persuade everyone; however, in the end no one was truly moved.
很多人都以为时间可以解决一切，然而有些问题如果不正面面对，只会越来越严重。
Many people believe that time can solve everything; however, some problems only become more serious if they are not faced directly.
Key point
然而 (rán’ér) is especially common in formal writing and logical exposition.