Chinese word

说不定

Pronunciation

Pinyinshuō bù dìng

Meaning

  • adverbmaybe

Example

今天说不定会下雨。jīn tiān shuō bú dìng huì xià yǔ

Maybe it will rain today.

Illustration for 说不定 (maybe)

More examples

说不定他要迟到。shuō bú dìng tā yào chí dào

He might be late.

Core concept

A possibility stays open instead of being settled as a fact.

Common phrases

  • 说不定要shuō bú dìng yào

    might be about to

  • 说不定会shuō bú dìng huì

    might

Similar words

可能kě néng: Indicates that an event or situation is possible without saying that it will happen.
也许yé xǔ: Expresses a guess based on unclear information that something is probably true or may happen.
大概dà gài: Expresses a broad estimate based on the overall situation, suggesting that something is probably so.

Definition in Chinese

用于表示对将来或事实的随意推测，语气比“可能”更口语化且随和，表示存在不确定的可能性。yòng yú biǎo shì duì jiāng lái huò shì shí de suí yì tuī cè yǔ qì bǐ kě néng gèng kóu yǔ huà qiě suí hé biǎo shì cún zài bú què dìng de kě néng xìng

Word origin

说 (shuō, "say") + 不 (bù, "not") + 定 (dìng, "fixed") gives the idea of a prediction that cannot be settled, forming a casual adverb for an uncertain possibility.

Usage tips

  • In everyday Chinese, this word softens a prediction and commonly comes before a future or expected event, making the statement sound conversational rather than formal.

Opposites

Word lists with this word