谁料 (shéi) — who could have known, unexpectedly (used to introduce an unexpected turn of events)
Definition
A literary conjunction-like expression meaning 'who could have known' / 'unexpectedly' — used to introduce a surprising turn. Similar to 竟然, but 谁料 foregrounds the speaker's own surprise before revealing the twist.
verb
who could have knownunexpectedly (used to introduce an unexpected turn of events)
Examples
- ,谁料。Wǒ men jì huà le bàn nián, shéi zuì hòu méi néng chéng xíng.We planned for half a year, but who could have known that we wouldn't make the trip in the end.
- 谁料,。shéi Tā tū rán jué dìng cí zhí, dà jiā dōu chī le yì jīng.Who could have known that he suddenly decided to resign — everyone was shocked.
- ,谁料。Tā yì zhí hěn jiàn kāng, shéi zhè cì jìng rán zhù le yuàn.He had always been healthy, but who could have known that this time he would end up in the hospital.
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