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可想而知

kě xiǎng ér zhī
HSK 3.0 Level 7 Rare

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Definitions

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

Word relationships

Antonyms

1 item
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

Synonyms

1 item
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

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.

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Child Words of 可想而知

可
kě

can

想
xiǎng

to think (about)

而
ér

and

知
zhī

to know