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HSK 5 · 不料 · 没想到
不料, 没想到, 谁知 — who would have thought
Three ways of saying unexpectedly, differing by position and register.
The rule
不料 = unexpectedly — WRITTEN, and it opens only the SECOND clause: 他刚出门，不料下起了大雨。
没想到 = I never thought — neutral, opening a second clause OR a sentence of its own: 没想到他会来。
谁知 = who would have known — SPOKEN, the storyteller's word: 我以为他生气了，谁知他笑了。
All three report something that has happened and that contradicts the first clause.
不料 cannot lead a whole sentence; 没想到 can.
没想到 = I never thought — neutral, opening a second clause OR a sentence of its own: 没想到他会来。
谁知 = who would have known — SPOKEN, the storyteller's word: 我以为他生气了，谁知他笑了。
All three report something that has happened and that contradicts the first clause.
不料 cannot lead a whole sentence; 没想到 can.
Blanks12
Formats4
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