可想而知

kě xiǎng ér zhī

HSK 3.0 Level 7 Rare

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Definitions

1. it is obvious that...
2. as one can well imagine...

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Word relationships

Antonyms

1 item

• 出乎意料 chū hū yì liào 出乎意料 chū hū yì liào beyond expectation (idiom); unexpected 用于表示结果与常理推断相反: beyond expectation (idiom); unexpected

Synonyms

1 item

• 显而易见 xiǎn ér yì jiàn 显而易见 xiǎn ér yì jiàn clearly and easy to see (idiom); obviously 用于表示根据已知事实很容易推断出结论: clearly and easy to see (idiom); obviously

Usage notes

Common mistakes

Learners often mistakenly use 可想而知 to mean 'it is conceivable', implying uncertainty, but it actually expresses that something is clearly deducible.

Formality

This phrase is typically used in written or formal contexts and can sound bookish in casual conversation.

Example Sentences

1 shown

他没有复习， 可想而知 ，考试没通过。

He didn't review, and as one can well imagine, he failed the exam.

AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.

Child Words of 可想而知

• 可 可 kě: can
• 想 想 xiǎng: to think (about)
• 而 而 ér: and
• 知 知 zhī: to know