Discussion of 没想到/沒想到

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How is 没想到 (méi xiǎngdào) used?

个学生

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没想到 (méi xiǎngdào) is a Chinese phrase that means "did not expect". It is used to express surprise or disbelief at something that has happened or been said. For example, if someone tells you that they won the lottery, you might respond with 没想到 (méi xiǎngdào) to express your surprise. It can also be used to express disappointment or regret, such as when someone fails a test they had been studying for. In this case, you might say 没想到 (méi xiǎngdào) to express your regret.

当老师

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不料 vs 没想到:

1. 不料 is a conjunction that is used at the beginning of the 2nd clause of a sentence to indicate transition. It usually appears with 却, 竟, 还 or 倒. We cannot add a subject before 不料.
E.g. 本来周末想出去爬山，不料竟下雨了。 r/s [phr] I planned to go mountain climbing on the weekend, but it rained unexpectedly.

2. 没想到 is a phrase. Subjects are optional and can appear before 没想到. Note that in this sentence below, we cannot use 不料.
我完全没想到他竟然是这样的人。I have absolutely never expected that he would be such a person.

3. 不料 and 没想到 are interchangeable in many cases, but the difference is that 没想到 makes the sentence sound more informal. Both sentences are correct but the second one sounds more casual:
- 本来周末想出去爬山，不料竟下雨了。
- 本来周末想出去爬山，没想到竟下雨了。

lisaC

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