Looking up...
没想到
méi xiǎng dào
didn't expect
没想到你也来了！
I didn't expect you to come too!
informal
did not expect or anticipate something
没想到天气突然变冷了。
I didn’t expect the weather to suddenly turn cold.
没想到他会说得这么好。
I didn’t expect him to speak so well.
Often used to express surprise or unexpectedness in a casual context.
Pro Tip
Common Usage Pattern
没想到 is typically followed by a clause that describes the unexpected event. For example: '没想到他会迟到。' (I didn’t expect him to be late.)
Gold Rule
Position in Sentence
没想到 usually appears at the beginning of a sentence or clause to set up the unexpected event.
Word Origin
Composed of '没' (méi, not) + '想到' (xiǎngdào, think of/anticipate). The phrase literally means 'did not think of,' evolving into a common expression for unexpected occurrences.
Usage Notes
Used in spoken and written Chinese to express surprise when something unexpected happens. Often followed by a clause explaining the surprising event.
Word Breakdown
没
not
adverb想到
think of/anticipate
verb phrase汉英词典