Definition
谁料 is a fixed rhetorical phrase meaning 'who could have known?' or 'unexpectedly'. It introduces an outcome that contradicts expectation, often in narratives or real-life stories. You use it at the beginning of a clause to express surprise that something happened (or didn't happen) contrary to what you assumed.
v.p.
who could have knownunexpectedly (used to introduce an unexpected turn of events)
Examples
- ，谁料。Wǒmen jìhuà le bàn nián, shéi zuìhòu méi néng chéngxíng.We planned for half a year, but who could have known that we wouldn't make the trip in the end.
- 谁料，。shéi tā túrán juédìng cízhí, dàjiā dōu chī le yì jīng.Who could have known that he suddenly decided to resign — everyone was shocked.
- ，谁料。Tā yìzhí hěn jiànkāng, shéi zhè cì jìngrán zhù le yuàn.He had always been healthy, but who could have known that this time he would end up in the hospital.
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