想不到

xiǎngbudào

verb HSK 6 #5,093

Meanings

1 unexpected; didn't expect
2 couldn't have imagined

Characters

to think; to expect

to reach; to arrive at

Cannot think of / reach - something you didn't expect.

Examples

HSK 1

真想不到你会来！

Zhēn xiǎngbudào nǐ huì lái!

I really didn't expect you would come!

HSK 4

想不到这么多年后又见面了。

Xiǎngbudào zhème duōnián hòu yòu jiànmiàn le.

Who would have thought we'd meet again after so many years.

HSK 5

想不到他居然会做这种事。

Xiǎngbudào tā jūrán huì zuò zhèzhǒng shì.

I never imagined he would do such a thing.

Tips

grammar

想不到 uses the potential complement structure: verb + 不 + result. 想得到 (xiǎng de dào) is the positive form: 'can imagine.' This structure works with many verbs: 看不到 (can't see), 听不到 (can't hear).

Stroke Order

想 xiǎng

不 bù

到 dào