不料

bùliào

adverb HSK 6 #42,549

Meanings

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

Characters

to expect; to anticipate; material

Not anticipated — what happens next is unexpected.

Examples

我以为他不会来，不料他来了。

Wǒ yǐwéi tā bú huì lái, bù liào tā lái le.

I thought he wouldn't come, but unexpectedly he did.

不料天突然下起了大雨。

Bù liào tiān tūrán xià qǐ le dà yǔ.

Unexpectedly, it suddenly started raining heavily.

他准备得很充分，不料还是失败了。

Tā zhǔnbèi de hěn chōngfèn, bù liào háishi shībài le.

He prepared thoroughly, but unexpectedly still failed.

不料结果恰恰相反。

Bù liào 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