▎少, shǎo, (Adv), as in 少＋Verb, less... than planned (See 多(2))

▎誰知道, sheí zhīdào, who would have thought that...?

 

Function This pattern expresses the speaker’s surprise at something has happened.

1 早上天氣那麼好。誰知道下午雨會下得那麼大，連鞋子都濕了。

Zǎoshang tiānqì nàme hǎo. shéi zhīdào xiàwǔ yǔ huì xià de nàme dà, lián xiézi dōu shī le.

The weather this morning was great. Who would have thought that it would rain so hard in the afternoon, soaking right through our shoes.

2 她親手做了巧克力，想送給小王。誰知道他桌上已經有一大堆巧克力了。

Tā qīnshǒu zuòle qiǎokèlì, xiǎng sòng gěi Xiǎo Wáng, shéi zhīdào tā zhuōshàng yǐjīng yǒu yí dà duī qiǎokèlì le.

She wanted to give to Xiao Wang some of her homemade chocolate. Who would have thought that he already had lots of chocolate on the table?

3 小王對女朋友那麼好。誰知道她居然想分開。

Xiǎo Wáng duì nǚpéngyǒu nàme hǎo, shéi zhīdào tā jūrán xiǎng fēnkāi.

Xiao Wang treated his girlfriend so well. Who would have thought that she wanted to split?

4 他以為永遠都回不去了。誰知道過了四十年後能再回到老家。

Tā yǐwéi yǒngyuǎn dōu huíbúqù le. Shéi zhīdào guòle sìshí nián hòu néng zài huídào lǎojiā.

He thought he’d never be able to return. Who would have thought that after forty years he was able to go back home?

 

Usage That which follows 誰知道 can be either affirmative or negative, and either undesirable or desirable (less often).

1 他做的麵包看起來並不特別，誰知道得了世界麵包大賽冠軍。

Tā zuò de miànbāo kànqǐlái bìng bú tèbié, shéi zhīdào dé le shìjiè miànbāo dàsài guànjūn.

The bread he makes doesn’t look special. You would never know that it actually won first place in a major world bread competition.

2 她說話的聲音不好聽，誰知道她唱歌唱得那麼好聽。

Tā shuōhuà de shēngyīn bù hǎotīng, shéi zhīdào tā chànggē chàng de nàme hǎotīng.

She has an unattractive speaking voice. Who would have guessed that she sounds so good when she sings?

3 他看起來很瘦，誰知道他吃那麼多。

Tā kànqǐlái hěn shòu, shéi zhīdào tā chī nàme duō.

He looks so thin. Who would have guessed that he has a huge appetite?