Definition
截然 is an adverb that emphasizes a clear, sharp boundary between two things. It almost always appears before the adjective it modifies, most commonly in the fixed phrase 截然不同 ('completely different / poles apart') or 截然相反 ('diametrically opposite'). You cannot use it to mean 'sharply' in a physical sense (like a sharp knife); it's reserved for abstract contrasts.
adv.
sharplycompletely (used to emphasize a clear distinction or contrast)
Examples
- 。Tāmen de guāndiǎn jié rán bùtóng.Their views are completely different.
- 截然。Zhè liǎng zhǒng wénhuà jié rán xiāngfǎn.These two cultures are diametrically opposite.
- 。Tā de tàidù hé yǐqián jié rán bùtóng.His attitude is completely different from before.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.