p8nda
p8nda BETA
Home Dictionary Translate Flashcards Sign in

不料

bùliào
adverb HSK 6 #42,549

Meanings

  1. 1 unexpectedly; to one's surprise
  2. 2 contrary to expectation; who would have thought

Characters

不
bù
not
料
liào
to expect; to anticipate; material
Not anticipated - what happens next is unexpected.

Examples

HSK 2
我以为他不会来，不料他来了。
Wǒ yǐwéi tā búhuì lái, bùliào tā lái le.
I thought he wouldn't come, but unexpectedly he did.
HSK 3
不料天突然下起了大雨。
Bùliào tiān tūrán xià qǐ le dàyǔ.
Unexpectedly, it suddenly started raining heavily.
HSK 6
不料结果恰恰相反。
Bùliào jiéguǒ qiàqià xiāngfǎn.
Unexpectedly, the result was exactly the opposite.

Tips

usage
不料 is typically used in written or storytelling contexts to introduce a surprising twist. It usually comes at the beginning of the second clause after setting up an expectation in the first.
usage
Similar words: 没想到 (méi xiǎng dào, didn't expect - more colloquial), 出乎意料 (chūhū yìliào, beyond expectation - more formal), 意外 (yìwài, unexpectedly).

Stroke Order

不 bù
料 liào