Chinese word

没想到

Pronunciation

Pinyinméi xiǎng dào

Meaning

  • verbnot expect

Example

我没想到会下雨。wǒ méi xiǎng dào huì xià yǔ

I didn't expect it to rain.

Illustration for 没想到 (not expect)

More examples

我没想到他会送我礼物。wǒ méi xiǎng dào tā huì sòng wǒ lǐ wù

I didn't expect him to give me a present.

Core concept

A result breaks through the boundary of what someone had pictured beforehand.

Common phrases

  • 没想到会méi xiǎng dào huì

    didn't expect it to

  • 真没想到zhēn méi xiǎng dào

    really didn't expect it

  • 没想到竟然méi xiǎng dào jìng rán

    didn't expect it to actually

Similar words

想不到xiǎng bú dào: React with surprise to something that could not be predicted or imagined beforehand.
以为yǐ wéi: Assume that something is the case without being certain.
想象xiǎng xiàng: Picture a scene or possible result in the mind.

Definition in Chinese

用来表示对事实结果的出乎意料，含义相当于“没有想到会这样”，多用于口语。yòng lái biǎo shì duì shì shí jié guǒ de chū hū yì liào hán yì xiāng dāng yú méi yǒu xiǎng dào huì zhè yàng duō yòng yú kóu yǔ

Word origin

没想到 (méixiǎngdào, "not expect") places the negative marker 没 (méi, "not") before 想到 (xiǎngdào, "think of or anticipate"), linking the phrase to a failed anticipation.

Usage tips

  • English often uses an adjective to label the event itself, but this Chinese form keeps the speaker's missed expectation in the foreground.

Other meanings

  • surprisingadjective
  • unforeseenadjective
  • no wayinterjection

Opposites

  • 预料到yù liào dàoexpectverb

Related words

Word lists with this word