Using "nanguai" as a verb

难怪 (nánguài) when used as a verb can be translated as "hard to blame." This 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 chídàole.
  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 zhè gè dìfāng hái bù liǎojiě zhèlǐ de fēngsú.No one can blame you, the first time I came here, I 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 anyone, he just got here, forget it.

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

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