AdverbsHSK 6
Expressing "contrary to expectations" with 偏偏
偏偏 is used to express that something happens contrary to expectations or wishes. It can appear before or after the subject in the second clause, often with a sense of stubbornness or irony.
Structure
A, Subject + 偏偏 + B
subject before 偏偏
A, 偏偏 + Subject + B
subject after 偏偏
Examples
- 我叫他别去，他偏偏要去。Wǒ jiào tā bié qù, tā piān piān yào qù.I told him not to go, but he went anyway.
- 我们以为他会来，可他偏偏没来。Wǒmen yǐwéi tā huì lái, kě tā piān piān méi lái.We thought he would come, but he didn't.
- 偏偏在我最忙的时候，老板打电话来了。Piān piān zài wǒ zuì máng de shíhou, lǎobǎn dǎ diànhuà lái le.As luck would have it, the boss called when I was busiest.