Definition
始料未及 is a four-character idiom meaning that an event or outcome was so unexpected that it could not have been foreseen from the start. The characters literally mean 'from the beginning (始) not yet (未) anticipated (料) to reach (及).' It's used in formal or literary contexts to describe surprises — often significant or negative — that catch people completely off guard. Unlike the simpler 意外 (yìwài), this phrase emphasizes the complete lack of prior expectation.
f.e.
unexpected beyond what one could have anticipatedunforeseen
Examples
- 始料未及。Zhè cì shìgù de hòuguǒ zhēn shì shǐ liào wèi jí.The consequences of this accident were truly unforeseen.
- 始料未及現賽贏場聲。Tā shǐ liào wèi jí de biǎoxiàn zài bǐsài zhōng yíngdé le quánchǎng zhǎngshēng.His unexpected performance won applause from the entire audience during the competition.
- 經濟動總始料未及，業靈應對。Jīngjì de bōdòng zǒng shì shǐ liào wèi jí, qǐyè xūyào línghuó yìngduì.Economic fluctuations are always unforeseen, so businesses need to respond flexibly.
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