Using "nanguai" as a verb

难怪 can be translated as 'it is not surprising that' or 'it is no wonder that', and is used to convey the speaker's lack of amazement at the situation he is confronted with.

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 。
• 难怪 他，他 还 是 个 孩子 呢，什么 都 不 懂。
• 这 也 难怪你，第 一 次 到 这 个 地方 还 不 了解 这里 的 风俗。
• 这 也 难怪，他刚来嘛，算了算了。

See also

• Expressing "no wonder" using "nanguai"

Sources and further reading

Books

• 现代汉语八百词（增订本） (pp. 239) (pp. 408) →buy

Dictionaries

• 现代汉语词典（第5版） (pp. 499) (pp. 981) →buy

HSK5