然諾

Both characters were interjections used to express agreement to the other speaker in Old Chinese. For example:

季曰：「吾見鬼乎？」
婦人曰：「然。」
「爲之奈何？」
曰：「取五牲之矢浴之。」
季曰：「諾。」
乃浴以矢。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]

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季曰：「吾见鬼乎？」
妇人曰：「然。」
「为之奈何？」
曰：「取五牲之矢浴之。」
季曰：「诺。」
乃浴以矢。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]

From: Han Feizi, circa 2^nd century BCE

Jì yuē: “Wú jiàn guǐ hū?”
Fùrén yuē: “Rán.”
“wèi zhī nàihé?”
Yuē: “Qǔ wǔ shēng zhī shǐ yù zhī.”
Jì yuē: “Nuò.”
Nǎi yù yǐ shǐ. [Pinyin]

“Have I seen a ghost?” “Certainly.” “What shall I do then?” “Get the dung of the five animals [namely: oxen, sheep, pigs, dogs, and fowls] and bathe in it.” “All right.” said Chi. So he bathed in the dung.

然諾

1. (literary) to agree; to promise

   • 昔吳漢、耿弇等初勸世祖即帝位，世祖辭讓，前後數四。耿純進言曰：「天下英雄喁喁，冀有所望。如不從議者，士大夫各歸求主，無爲從公也。」世祖感純言深至，遂然諾之。 [Literary Chinese, trad.]
     昔吴汉、耿弇等初劝世祖即帝位，世祖辞让，前后数四。耿纯进言曰：「天下英雄喁喁，冀有所望。如不从议者，士大夫各归求主，无为从公也。」世祖感纯言深至，遂然诺之。 [Literary Chinese, simp.]

     From: Chen Shou, Records of the Three Kingdoms, circa 3^rd century CE

     Xī Wú Hàn, Gěng Yǎn děng chū quàn shìzǔ jí dìwèi, shìzǔ círàng, qiánhòu shuòsì. Gěng Chún jìnyán yuē: “Tiānxià yīngxióng yóngyóng, jì yǒusuǒ wàng. Rú bù cóng yì zhě, shìdàfū gè guī qiú zhǔ, wúwèi cóng gōng yě.” Shìzǔ gǎn chúnyán shēnzhì, suì ránnuò zhī. [Pinyin]

     When Wu Han, Geng Yan, et al. first persuaded Emperor Guangwu of Han to ascend the imperial throne, he refused three or four times. Geng Chun then adviced, "The heroes across the land are counting on you. Were you to refuse their suggestion, the scholar-officials will seek respectively their masters and no longer follow you." Emperor was moved by his profound words of pure sincerity, and accepted their suggestion.

   • 縱令然諾暫相許，終是悠悠行路心。 [Literary Chinese, trad.]
     纵令然诺暂相许，终是悠悠行路心。 [Literary Chinese, simp.]

     From: c. 8th century, 張謂 (Zhāng Wèi),《題長安壁主人》 (An Inscription on the Host of Chang'an Wall)

     Zònglìng ránnuò zàn xiāngxǔ, zhōng shì yōuyōu xínglù xīn. [Pinyin]

     Though one has made temporary verbal promises,
     His heart remains as cold as an alien stranger's.