Level 5 · Advanced
As expected: 果然
Prediction，果然 + Confirmation
果然 (guǒrán) means "sure enough" — a prediction was made, and reality matched it: 天气预报说会下雨，下午果然下雨了 "the forecast said rain, and sure enough, it rained in the afternoon."
It's the exact opposite of 竟然, which marks surprise. 果然 says "I knew it"; 竟然 says "I can't believe it." Mixing them up flips the meaning of the whole sentence.
Examples
天气预报说会下雨，下午果然下雨了。
天氣預報說會下雨，下午果然下雨了。
tiān qì yù bào shuō huì xià yǔ xià wǔ guǒ rán xià yǔ le
The forecast said it would rain, and sure enough, it rained in the afternoon.
朋友都说这部电影好看，我一看，果然很好看。
朋友都說這部電影好看，我一看，果然很好看。
péng you dōu shuō zhè bù diàn yǐng hǎo kàn wǒ yī kàn guǒ rán hěn hǎo kàn
My friends all said this movie was good — I watched it, and sure enough, it was.
妈妈说钥匙在桌子上，我一找，果然在那里。
媽媽說鑰匙在桌子上，我一找，果然在那裏。
mā ma shuō yào shi zài zhuō zi shàng wǒ yī zhǎo guǒ rán zài nà li
Mom said the keys were on the table — I looked, and there they were.
我就知道他会赢，他果然赢了。
我就知道他會贏，他果然贏了。
wǒ jiù zhī dào tā huì yíng tā guǒ rán yíng le
I knew he'd win, and win he did.
Common mistakes
✗ 我以为他会来，果然他没来。
✓ 我以为他会来，没想到他竟然没来。
果然 confirms an expectation. When reality contradicts it, use 竟然 or 没想到.
Related grammar points
See it in a story
Read this pattern in context: Sai Weng Loses His Horse · The Impatient Farmer — free graded stories with tap-to-reveal pinyin and translations.
