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想不到 (xiǎng bu dào) — unable to anticipate; to not expect; used to express surprise at something unexpected

Definition

想不到 means 'to not expect' — often an exclamation of surprise at something unexpected. It's a fixed negative phrase; don't split it as 想 + 不到, and don't confuse it with 想得到 ('can imagine').

verb
unable to anticipateto not expectused to express surprise at something unexpected

Examples

  • 想不到！
    xiǎng bu dào Nǐ huì zài zhè zhǒng dì fāng chū xiàn!
    Fancy seeing you in a place like this!
  • 想不到。
    xiǎng bu dào Tā jìng rán méi lái cān jiā zuó tiān de jù huì.
    I never thought he wouldn't come to yesterday's party.
  • 想不到。
    Zhè jiàn shì zhēn shì xiǎng bu dào.
    This matter is truly unexpected.
Appears in
Thinking & Cognition

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