Indeed / admittedly (诚然)

Structure 诚然，A，but / yet B

诚然 (chéngrán) is a cultivated concession that opens a paragraph in essays and journalism: "admittedly, it is true that…". It grants the opponent a point up front in order to qualify or rebut it, so it almost always pairs with 但 (但是) or 然而: 诚然，他有不足，但贡献更大 = "true, he has shortcomings, but his contribution is greater". Unlike a plain 的确 or 确实 ("indeed", which merely confirms), 诚然 signals that a "but" is coming: it's an argumentative move, not just an assertion. It sounds distinctly written.

Examples

诚chéng然rán，他tā有yǒu不bù足zú，但dàn他tā的de贡gòng献xiàn远yuǎn远yuǎn更gèng大dà。
Admittedly he has shortcomings, but his contribution is by far the greater.
诚chéng然rán，技jì术shù带dài来lái了le便biàn利lì，然rán而ér也yě制zhì造zào了le新xīn的de问wèn题tí。
Technology has indeed brought convenience, yet it has also created new problems.
这zhè条tiáo路lù诚chéng然rán艰jiān难nán，但dàn我wǒ们men别bié无wú选xuǎn择zé。
This path is admittedly hard, but we have no other choice.

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