不料 búliào unexpectedly
unexpectedly; to one's surprise
How to remember 不料: 不 not + 料 ingredients = unexpectedly.
Characters
How it is used
- 'Unexpectedly, who would have thought' - 本想帮忙，不料帮了倒忙 (běn xiǎng bāngmáng, búliào bāngle dàománg) meant to help, but unexpectedly made things worse.
- A discourse connector at the start of the surprising second clause, setting up a contrast with what was expected.
- Slightly literary; spoken equivalent is 没想到 (méi xiǎngdào).