Definition
冷不丁 is an adverb meaning 'suddenly' or 'unexpectedly', with a colloquial flavor — it emphasizes that something happens without warning, often catching you off guard. It's more vivid than 突然 and is common in spoken Northern Chinese. You can use it to describe actions or events that occur abruptly, like a noise, a question, or a change in weather.
adv.
suddenlyout of the bluewithout warning
Examples
- 冷不丁，。Tā lěng bú wèn le wǒ yí gè wèntí, wǒ lèng zhù le.He suddenly asked me a question, and I was stunned.
- 冷不丁，。Wàimiàn lěng bú xià qǐ le dà yǔ, wǒmen dōu méi dài sǎn.It suddenly started pouring outside, and none of us had umbrellas.
- 冷不丁，。Tā lěng bú xiào le qǐlái, bǎ dàjiā dōu xià le yí tiào.She burst out laughing out of nowhere, startling everyone.
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