Definition
殊不知 is a formal, literary conjunction meaning 'little does one know' or 'hardly realize'. It introduces a contrast between what someone assumes and the surprising or ironic truth. You'll find it in written Chinese — essays, news, speeches — where it signals that the reality is opposite to the expectation. It's a fixed expression (shū + bù + zhī) and cannot be split or modified.
v.p.
little does one knowhardly realize (introduces a contrast with a mistaken assumption)
Examples
- ，殊不知。Hěn duō rén yǐwéi chénggōng hěn róngyì, shū bù zhī bèihòu fùchū le duōshǎo nǔlì.Many people think success is easy, little do they know how much effort goes into it.
- ，殊不知。Tā biǎomiàn shàng hěn qīngsōng, shū bù zhī nèixīn fēicháng jiāolǜ.He appears relaxed on the surface, hardly realizing how anxious he is inside.
- 殊不知，。shū bù zhī, zhège kànsì jiǎndān de wèntí qíshí hěn fùzá.Little does one know, this seemingly simple question is actually very complex.
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