Definition

Phrase: An adverbial phrase expressing that something happened contrary to what was anticipated or believed; used to introduce an unforeseen or surprising outcome.

Usage

The phrase 'nào ngờ' is used at the beginning of a clause to express surprise or to state that an event occurred unexpectedly, against all prior assumptions or expectations. It often connects a previous belief or situation with a contrasting reality.

Examples

• (I thought he had returned to his home country, but unexpectedly, he is still here.)
• (We kept thinking it would rain, against all expectations it turned out very sunny.)
• Nào ngờ cô ấy chính là giám đốc mới của công ty. (Unexpectedly, she is the new director of the company.)

Advanced Usage

• 'Nào ngờ đâu': A slightly more literary or emphatic variant with the same meaning.
  • Anh ta tỏ ra rất thân thiện, nào ngờ đâu lại là một kẻ lừa đảo. (He acted very friendly; little did I know he was a fraudster.)

Variants and Related Words

• Không ngờ: To not expect. (This is more commonly used as a verb phrase, e.g., - I didn't expect you to come.)
• Ai ngờ: Who would have thought/expected? (A rhetorical question form with a similar meaning.)
  • Ai ngờ kết quả lại như vậy? (Who would have expected such a result?)

Synonyms

• Bất ngờ (adj/adv): Sudden, suddenly, unexpectedly. (Describes the surprising nature of the event itself.)
• Ngoài dự đoán / Ngoài mong đợi: Outside of prediction/expectation.
• Không ai ngờ đến: No one expected.

Related Idioms/Phrases

• Trở tay không kịp: To be caught off guard; to be unable to react in time. This describes the of an unexpected event introduced by 'nào ngờ'.
  • Sự việc xảy ra nào ngờ khiến mọi người trở tay không kịp. (The incident happened so unexpectedly that everyone was caught off guard.)

1. Against all expectations; unexpectedly