---
title: "Yixiangbudao Meaning: 意想不到 (yìxiǎngbùdào) Means “unexpected”"
description: "意想不到 (yìxiǎngbùdào) means “unexpected; unforeseen”. Hear its tones and a real sentence that uses it."
canonical: "https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/yixiangbudao"
published: "2026-10-21"
updated: "2026-11-06"
author: "Mandarin The Wild"
---

[What does it mean in Chinese?](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning)

# What does 意想不到 mean?

猫头鹰māotóuyīngowl

意想不到 yìxiǎngbùdào

## unexpected; unforeseen

## In a sentence

这次旅行带来了很多意想不到的惊喜。 This trip brought many unexpected surprises.

倘若没有后来那次**意想不到**的调动，他大概会当一辈子经济学家。

From [拼音是谁发明的？ · Who invented pinyin? The story of Zhou Youguang](https://mandarinthewild.com/library/read/who-invented-pinyin-zhou-youguang#library-word-207-211)

[More about 意想不到](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E6%84%8F%E6%83%B3%E4%B8%8D%E5%88%B0)

## More words with 意 or 想 or 不 or 到

- [必不可少 bìbùkěshǎo](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/bibukeshao)
- [不安 bù’ān](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/buan)
- [不必 bùbì](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/bubi)
- [不便 bùbiàn](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/bubian)
- [不曾 bùcéng](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/buceng)
- [不成 bùchéng](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/bucheng)
- [不错 bùcuò](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/bucuo)
- [不但 bùdàn](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/budan)
- [不当 bùdàng](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/budang)
- [不得 bùdé](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/bude)

## Keep 意想不到 for Review

A free account keeps it, and Review brings it back just before you’d forget it.

## Look up another word

## See any word in its sentence

Get a card like this for every word on any page or YouTube subtitle.

[Add to Chrome](https://mandarinthewild.com/go/chrome?from=%2Fmeaning%2Fyixiangbudao) [Read in the Library](https://mandarinthewild.com/library)

[Listening practice in a native voice](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-listening-practice)

[How it compares with HelloChinese](https://mandarinthewild.com/compare/hellochinese)