可想而知kě xiǎng ér zhī(idiom) (it) goes without saying; can well be imagined

1. 1.

   (idiom) (it) goes without saying; can well be imaginedidiom

Figurative meaning

(It) goes without saying; can well be imagined.

• 可(prefix) can; may; able to; -able
• 想to think (about)
• 而not compositional here
• 知to know

No attested origin story

可想而知 can stand as its own clause after a description, often in the form 结果可想而知 or 他有多累可想而知.

1. HSK 2

   他三天没睡觉，有多累可想而知。

   Tā sān tiān méi shuìjiào, yǒu duō lèi kě xiǎng ér zhī.

   He hasn't slept for three days, so you can well imagine how tired he is.

2. HSK 3

   没有准备就去考试，结果可想而知。

   Méiyǒu zhǔnbèi jiù qù kǎoshì, jiéguǒ kě xiǎng ér zhī.

   Going to the exam without preparing, the result goes without saying.

3. HSK 4

   孩子第一次离开家，妈妈的心情可想而知。

   Háizi dì-yī cì líkāi jiā, māma de xīnqíng kě xiǎng ér zhī.

   The child is leaving home for the first time, so you can well imagine how the mother feels.

1. 
   Speaker A:

   你听说他的手机丢了吗？

   Nǐ tīngshuō tā de shǒujī diū le ma?

   Did you hear that he lost his phone?

2. 
   Speaker B:

   听说了，里面有很多照片。

   Tīngshuō le, lǐmiàn yǒu hěn duō zhàopiàn.

   I heard. There were lots of photos on it.

3. 
   Speaker A:

   那他现在的心情可想而知。

   Nà tā xiànzài de xīnqíng kě xiǎng ér zhī.

   Then you can well imagine how he feels now.

4. 
   Speaker B:

   是啊，我们去帮他找找吧。

   Shì a, wǒmen qù bāng tā zhǎozhao ba.

   Yes, let's go help him look for it.

1. 1.What does 可想而知 mean?

   ACan well be imaginedBTo live in peace and work happilyCTo pull together
2. 2.Which sentence uses 可想而知 correctly?

   A没有准备就去考试，结果可想而知。B我可想而知一本书。C他可想而知去学校。
3. 3.Which word fits best? 他三天没睡觉，有多累____。 (He hasn't slept for three days; you can imagine how tired he is.)

   A可想而知B齐心协力C安居乐业

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Related idioms

• 不可思议bù kě sī yìinconceivable; unimaginable; unfathomableHSK 7–9
• 不知不觉bù zhī bù jué(idiom) unconsciously; unwittinglyHSK 7–9
• 不知所措bù zhī suǒ cuònot knowing what to doHSK 7–9
• 不约而同bù yuē ér tóng(idiom) (of two or more people) to take the same action without prior consultation; (usu. used adverbially) all (or both) of them, independently; as if by prior agreementHSK 7–9
• 不言而喻bù yán ér yù(idiom) it goes without saying; it is self-evidentHSK 7–9
• 半途而废bàn tú ér fèito give up halfwayHSK 7–9

Browse every entry in the Chinese idioms dictionary.