Difference between revisions of "Expressing "no wonder""

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{{Grammar Box}}  
 
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怪不得 (guàibude) can be used to express that the speaker finds something unsurprising. It can be used alone or in a variety of different structures, as shown below. 难怪 (nánguài) is another way to express exactly the same thing.
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怪不得 (guàibude) can be used to express that the speaker finds something unsurprising. It can be used alone or in a variety of different structures, as shown below. 难怪 (nánguài) is another way to express the exact same thing.
  
== Emphasis on 怪不得 ==
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== Emphasis on 怪不得 / 难怪 ==
 +
 
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怪不得 is used to convey the speaker's newfound understanding of a situation, having recently acquired some new information that, in his opinion, explains it.
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
 
怪不得 is used to convey the speaker's lack of amazement at a situation, having recently acquired some new information that in his opinion explains it. It can be replaced with 难怪 in the structure without altering its meaning.
 
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
Reason ,怪不得 / 难怪 + [Observation]
 
Reason ,怪不得 / 难怪 + [Observation]
 
</div>
 
</div>
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 +
怪不得 can be replaced with 难怪 in the structure without altering its meaning.
  
 
=== Examples ===
 
=== Examples ===
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*小张 请假 了,<em>怪不得</em> 今天 没有 看到 他 。<span class="pinyin">Xiǎo Zhāng qǐngjià le, <em>guàibude</em> jīntiān méiyǒu kàndào tā.</span><span class="trans">Little Zhang asked for vacation time, no wonder I haven't seen him today.</span>
 
*小张 请假 了,<em>怪不得</em> 今天 没有 看到 他 。<span class="pinyin">Xiǎo Zhāng qǐngjià le, <em>guàibude</em> jīntiān méiyǒu kàndào tā.</span><span class="trans">Little Zhang asked for vacation time, no wonder I haven't seen him today.</span>
*天天 迟到 ,<em>怪不得</em> 他 被 炒鱿鱼 。<span class="pinyin">Tiāntiān chídào, <em>guàibude</em> tā bèi chǎoyóuyú.</span><span class="trans">He's late for work everyday. No wonder he got fired.</span>
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*天天 迟到 ,<em>怪不得</em> 他 被 炒鱿鱼 。<span class="pinyin">Tiāntiān chídào, <em>guàibude</em> tā bèi chǎoyóuyú le.</span><span class="trans">He's late for work every day. No wonder he got fired.</span>
*她 是 你 妹妹 ?<em>难怪</em> 你们 长 得 这么 像 。<span class="pinyin">Tā shì nǐ mèimei? <em>Nánguài</em> nǐmen cháng de zhème xiàng.</span><span class="trans">She's your younger sister. No wonder you two look so much alike.</span>
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*她 是 你 妹妹 ?<em>难怪</em> 你们 长 得 这么 像 。<span class="pinyin">Tā shì nǐ mèimei? <em>Nánguài</em> nǐmen cháng de zhème xiàng.</span><span class="trans">She's your younger sister? No wonder you two look so much alike.</span>
*你 手机 没电 了 ?<em>怪不得</em> 我 打 不 通 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ shǒujī méi diàn le? <em>Guàibude</em> wǒ dǎ bu tōng.</span><span class="trans">Your cell phone is out of battery? No wonder I couldn't get through.</span>
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*你 手机 没电 了 ?<em>怪不得</em> 我 打 不 通 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ shǒujī méi diàn le? <em>Guàibude</em> wǒ dǎ bu tōng.</span><span class="trans">Your cell phone is out of power? No wonder my call wouldn't go through.</span>
*你 放 了 醋 ?<em>难怪</em> 这么 难吃 !<span class="pinyin">Nǐ fàng le cù? <em>Nánguài</em> zhème nánchī!</span><span class="trans">You put vinegar. No wonder it tastes so bad!</span>
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*你 放 了 醋 ?<em>难怪</em> 这么 难吃 !<span class="pinyin">Nǐ fàng le cù? <em>Nánguài</em> zhème nánchī!</span><span class="trans">You put vinegar in it? No wonder it tastes so bad!</span>
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</div>
  
 
== Emphasis on 原来 ==
 
== Emphasis on 原来 ==
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
*<em>怪不得</em> 她 拉肚子 ,<strong>原来</strong> 她 昨天 又 吃 火锅 了 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Guàibude</em> tā lādùzi, <strong>yuánlái</strong> tā zuótiān yòu chī huǒguō le.</span><span class="trans">No wonder she had a diarrhea. She went to eat hotpot again yesterday.</span>
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*<em>难怪</em> 学生 都 不 喜欢 这个 老师 ,<strong>原来</strong> 他 的 作业 太 多 了 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Nánguài</em> xuéshēng dōu bù xǐhuan zhège lǎoshī, <strong>yuánlái</strong> tā de zuòyè tài duō le.</span><span class="trans">No wonder the students don't like this teacher. He gives too much homework.</span>
*<em>难怪</em> 学生 都 不 喜欢 这个 老师 ,<strong>原来</strong> 他 的 作业 太 多 了 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Nánguài</em> xuéshēng dōu bù xǐhuan zhège lǎoshī, <strong>yuánlái</strong> tā de zuòyè tài duō le.</span><span class="trans">No wonder the students don't like this teacher. The homework he gives is too much.</span>
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*<em>怪不得</em> 你们 这么 高兴 ,<strong>原来</strong> 是 要 结婚 了 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Guàibude</em> nǐmen zhème gāoxìng, <strong>yuánlái</strong> shì yào jiéhūn le.</span><span class="trans">No wonder you two look so happy. You are getting married.</span>
*<em>怪不得</em> 你们 这么 高兴 ,<em>原来</em> 是 要 结婚 了 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Guàibude</em> nǐmen zhème gāoxìng, <em>yuánlái</em> shì yào jiéhūn le.</span><span class="trans">No wonder you two look so happy. You are getting married.</span>
 
 
*<em>难怪</em> 这里 人 这么 多 ,<strong>原来</strong> 在 打折 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Nánguài</em> zhèlǐ rén zhème duō, <strong>yuánlái</strong> zài dǎzhé.</span><span class="trans">No wonder there are so many people here. There's a sale going on.</span>
 
*<em>难怪</em> 这里 人 这么 多 ,<strong>原来</strong> 在 打折 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Nánguài</em> zhèlǐ rén zhème duō, <strong>yuánlái</strong> zài dǎzhé.</span><span class="trans">No wonder there are so many people here. There's a sale going on.</span>
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*<em>怪不得</em> 她 拉肚子 ,<strong>原来</strong> 她 昨天 又 吃 火锅 了 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Guàibude</em> tā lādùzi, <strong>yuánlái</strong> tā zuótiān yòu chī huǒguō le.</span><span class="trans">No wonder she got a diarrhea. She went to eat hotpot again yesterday.</span>
 
*<em>怪不得</em> 他 没 告诉 我 ,<strong>原来</strong> 是 不 想 让 我 担心 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Guàibude</em> tā méi gàosu wǒ, <strong>yuánlái</strong> shì bù xiǎng ràng wǒ dānxīn.</span><span class="trans">No wonder he hasn't told me. He doesn't want me to worry about this.</span>
 
*<em>怪不得</em> 他 没 告诉 我 ,<strong>原来</strong> 是 不 想 让 我 担心 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Guàibude</em> tā méi gàosu wǒ, <strong>yuánlái</strong> shì bù xiǎng ràng wǒ dānxīn.</span><span class="trans">No wonder he hasn't told me. He doesn't want me to worry about this.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== the Other Meaning of 难怪 ==
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== The Other Meaning of 难怪 ==
  
This usage is definitely less common, but sometimes 难怪 is a combination of the [[Difficult to do something|难 + Verb]] pattern and the verb 怪, meaning "to blame." In this case, the meaning is totally different.  Although it's not as common and you shouldn't need to worry about it too much, we include it here because if you ever run into and think that 难怪 can only ever have one meaning, it can totally throw you for a loop.
+
This usage is definitely less common, but sometimes 难怪 is a combination of the [[Difficult to do something|难 + Verb]] pattern and the verb 怪, meaning "to blame." In this case, the meaning is totally different.  Although it's not as common, and you shouldn't need to worry about it too much, we include it here because if you ever run into and think that 难怪 can only ever have one meaning, it can totally throw you for a loop.
  
 
A few examples:
 
A few examples:
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
*这 也 <em>难怪</em> 他 ,他 这么 小 。<span class="pinyin"> Zhè yě <em>nánguài</em> tā, tā zhème xiǎo.</span><span class="trans">Don't blame him. He's so young.</span>
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*这 也 <em>难怪</em> 他 ,他 这么 小 。<span class="pinyin"> Zhè yě <em>nánguài</em> tā, tā zhème xiǎo.</span><span class="trans">We can't really blame him. He's so young.</span>
*这 也 <em>难怪</em> 大家 ,是 我们 通知 晚 了 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè yě <em>nánguài</em> dàjiā, shì wǒmen tōngzhī wǎn le.</span><span class="trans">Don't blame everybody. It was a short notice.</span>
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*这 也 <em>难怪</em> 大家 ,是 我们 通知 晚 了 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè yě <em>nánguài</em> dàjiā, shì wǒmen tōngzhī wǎn le.</span><span class="trans">We can't really blame everybody. It was such short notice.</span>
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</div>
 
</div>
  
When used in this way it expresses that the speaker assigns no blame in the situation he is describing. Sometimes the specific person undeserving of blame is mentioned directly after 难怪, as in the first two examples. Often however the context makes clear who this person is and this is not necessary, as in the third example.
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When used in this way it expresses that the speaker assigns no blame in the situation he is describing. Sometimes the specific person undeserving of blame is mentioned directly after 难怪, but not always.
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
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[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
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{{HSK|HSK5}}
 
{{Basic Grammar|难怪|B1|Reason ,怪不得 / 难怪 + Observation |小张 请假 了,<em>难怪</em> 今天 没有 看到 他。|grammar point|ASGFPV2C}}
 
{{Basic Grammar|难怪|B1|Reason ,怪不得 / 难怪 + Observation |小张 请假 了,<em>难怪</em> 今天 没有 看到 他。|grammar point|ASGFPV2C}}
 
{{Rel char|怪不得}}
 
{{Rel char|怪不得}}
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{{Used for|Exclaiming}}
 
{{Used for|Exclaiming}}
 
{{Structure|Sentence Patterns}}
 
{{Structure|Sentence Patterns}}
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{{Subprop|Complex Sentence Patterns}}

Revision as of 08:50, 22 April 2019

怪不得 (guàibude) can be used to express that the speaker finds something unsurprising. It can be used alone or in a variety of different structures, as shown below. 难怪 (nánguài) is another way to express the exact same thing.

Emphasis on 怪不得 / 难怪

怪不得 is used to convey the speaker's newfound understanding of a situation, having recently acquired some new information that, in his opinion, explains it.

Structure

Reason ,怪不得 / 难怪 + [Observation]

怪不得 can be replaced with 难怪 in the structure without altering its meaning.

Examples

  • 小张 请假 了,怪不得 今天 没有 看到 他 。Xiǎo Zhāng qǐngjià le, guàibude jīntiān méiyǒu kàndào tā.Little Zhang asked for vacation time, no wonder I haven't seen him today.
  • 天天 迟到 ,怪不得 他 被 炒鱿鱼 了 。Tiāntiān chídào, guàibude tā bèi chǎoyóuyú le.He's late for work every day. No wonder he got fired.
  • 她 是 你 妹妹 ?难怪 你们 长 得 这么 像 。Tā shì nǐ mèimei? Nánguài nǐmen cháng de zhème xiàng.She's your younger sister? No wonder you two look so much alike.
  • 你 手机 没电 了 ?怪不得 我 打 不 通 。Nǐ shǒujī méi diàn le? Guàibude wǒ dǎ bu tōng.Your cell phone is out of power? No wonder my call wouldn't go through.
  • 你 放 了 醋 ?难怪 这么 难吃 !Nǐ fàng le cù? Nánguài zhème nánchī!You put vinegar in it? No wonder it tastes so bad!

Emphasis on 原来

Structure

怪不得 / 难怪 + [Observation] ,原来 (+ 是) + Reason

Examples

  • 难怪 学生 都 不 喜欢 这个 老师 ,原来 他 的 作业 太 多 了 。Nánguài xuéshēng dōu bù xǐhuan zhège lǎoshī, yuánlái tā de zuòyè tài duō le.No wonder the students don't like this teacher. He gives too much homework.
  • 怪不得 你们 这么 高兴 ,原来 是 要 结婚 了 。Guàibude nǐmen zhème gāoxìng, yuánlái shì yào jiéhūn le.No wonder you two look so happy. You are getting married.
  • 难怪 这里 人 这么 多 ,原来 在 打折 。Nánguài zhèlǐ rén zhème duō, yuánlái zài dǎzhé.No wonder there are so many people here. There's a sale going on.
  • 怪不得 她 拉肚子 ,原来 她 昨天 又 吃 火锅 了 。Guàibude tā lādùzi, yuánlái tā zuótiān yòu chī huǒguō le.No wonder she got a diarrhea. She went to eat hotpot again yesterday.
  • 怪不得 他 没 告诉 我 ,原来 是 不 想 让 我 担心 。Guàibude tā méi gàosu wǒ, yuánlái shì bù xiǎng ràng wǒ dānxīn.No wonder he hasn't told me. He doesn't want me to worry about this.

The Other Meaning of 难怪

This usage is definitely less common, but sometimes 难怪 is a combination of the 难 + Verb pattern and the verb 怪, meaning "to blame." In this case, the meaning is totally different. Although it's not as common, and you shouldn't need to worry about it too much, we include it here because if you ever run into and think that 难怪 can only ever have one meaning, it can totally throw you for a loop.

A few examples:

  • 这 也 难怪 他 ,他 这么 小 。 Zhè yě nánguài tā, tā zhème xiǎo.We can't really blame him. He's so young.
  • 这 也 难怪 大家 ,是 我们 通知 晚 了 。Zhè yě nánguài dàjiā, shì wǒmen tōngzhī wǎn le.We can't really blame everybody. It was such short notice.

When used in this way it expresses that the speaker assigns no blame in the situation he is describing. Sometimes the specific person undeserving of blame is mentioned directly after 难怪, but not always.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Dictionaries