Using "nanguai" as a verb

难怪 (nán guài) can mean "no wonder," but when used as a verb can be translated as "hard to blame," a much more literal application. This phrase is usually directed at a person, and it is similar to how in English we may say, "he's always sleepy, but you can't blame him because he works a night shift."

Structure

难怪 + [Specific Person / People]

When used as a verb it expresses that the speaker assigns no blame in the situation he is describing i.e. that someone is not to be blamed. Often a person is placed after it, as in the latter two examples below.

Examples

• A: 他 迟到 了 。
  B: 这 也 难怪。 今天 地铁 坏 了 。A: Tā chídào le.
  B: Zhè yě nánguài. Jīntiān dìtiě huàile.A: He's late. B: Don't blame him, the subway broke down today.
• 难怪 他，他 还 是 个 孩子 呢，什么 都 不 懂。Nánguài tā, tā háishì gè háizi ne, shénme dōu bù dǒng.Don't blame him, he's just a child. He doesn't know any better.
• 这 也 难怪你，第 一 次 到 这 个 地方 还 不 了解 这里 的 风俗。Zhè yě nánguài nǐ, dì yī cì dào zhège dìfāng hái bù liǎojiě zhèlǐ de fēngsú.No one can blame you, the first time you came here, you didn't understand the customs.
• 这 也 难怪，他刚来嘛，算了算了。Zhè yě nánguài, tā gāng lái ma, suànle suànle.Don't blame him, he just got here, forget it.
• 这 也 难怪，他 已经 七十 岁 了，不适合 做 高 强度 的 运动。Zhè yě nánguài, tā yǐjīng qīshí suì le, bù shìhé zuò gāo qiángdù de yùndòng.No wonder, he is already seventy years old and is not suitable for high intensity sports.
• 孩子 把 爸爸 最 喜欢的 花瓶 打 碎 了，也 难怪 爸爸 为什么 这么 生气 了。Háizi bǎ bàba zuì xǐhuan de huāpíng dǎ suì le, yě nánguài bàba wèishénme zhème shēngqì le.No wonder the child's father was so angry when the child smashed his favorite vase.
• 如果 你 一定 要 晚上 弹 钢琴，那 就 难怪 邻居 抱怨 你。Rúguǒ nǐ yīdìng yào wǎnshang tán gāngqín, nà jiù nánguài línjū bàoyuàn nǐ.If you insist on playing the piano at night, no wonder the neighbors complain about you.
• 你 也 太 不 爱 说话 了，难怪 你 老婆 说 和 你 说话 是 对牛弹琴。Nǐ yě tài bù ài shuōhuà le, nánguài nǐ lǎopo shuō hé nǐ shuōhuà shì duìniútánqín.No wonder your wife says that talking to you is like talking to an ox.
• 本来 这 道 题 就 有 争议，也 难怪 学生 答 错 了。Běnlái zhè dào tí jiù yǒu zhēngyì, yě nánguài xuéshēng dā cuò le.This question was already controversial, so it's no wonder the student got it wrong.
• 你 把 给 他的 礼物 给了 别人，也 难怪 他 不 高兴 了。 Nǐ bǎ gěi tā de lǐwù gěi le biérén, yě nánguài tā bù gāoxìng le.You gave him a gift to others, no wonder he was upset.

See also

• Expressing "no wonder" using "nanguai"

Sources and further reading

Books

• 现代汉语八百词（增订本） (pp. 239, 408) [ →buy]

Dictionaries

• 现代汉语词典（第5版） (pp. 499, 981) 卓越汉语－公司实战篇 →buy

HSK5