以为

yǐwéi

Meaning

以为 is a verb meaning “to think” or “to assume”, used when what the speaker thought turns out not to match reality. The real situation usually follows.

Basic structure

Subject + 以为 + … → thought that…, but actually…

Examples

她(Tā)汉(Hàn)语(yǔ)说(shuō)得(de)那(nà)么(me)好(hǎo)，我(wǒ)还(hái)以(yǐ)为(wéi)她(tā)是(shì)中(Zhōng)国(guó)人(rén)。

She speaks Chinese so well that I thought she was Chinese.

马(Mǎ)克(kè)以(yǐ)为(wéi)今(jīn)天(tiān)是(shì)星(Xīng)期(qī)一(yī)，到(dào)了(le)学(xué)校(xiào)一(yī)看(kàn)，没(méi)人(rén)来(lái)上(shàng)课(kè)，才(cái)发(fā)现(xiàn)今(jīn)天(tiān)是(shì)星(Xīng)期(qī)天(tiān)。

Mark thought it was Monday. When he got to school and saw nobody there, he realised it was Sunday.

我(Wǒ)以(yǐ)为(wéi)新(xīn)工(gōng)作(zuò)比(bǐ)以(yǐ)前(qián)的(de)好(hǎo)，没(méi)想(xiǎng)到(dào)还(hái)没(méi)有(yǒu)以(yǐ)前(qián)好(hǎo)呢(ne)。

I thought the new job would be better than the old one, but it turned out worse.

以为 vs. 觉得

我(Wǒ)以(yǐ)为(wéi)今(jīn)天(tiān)不(bù)开(kāi)会(huì)，结(jié)果(guǒ)还(hái)是(shì)开(kāi)了(le)。

I thought there wouldn't be a meeting today, but there was.

我(Wǒ)觉(jué)得(de)这(zhè)本(běn)书(shū)很(hěn)好(hǎo)。

I think this book is very good.

以为 → a mistaken assumption. 觉得 → a personal opinion, with no implication of being wrong.

以为 vs. 认为

很(Hěn)多(duō)专(zhuān)家(jiā)认(rèn)为(wéi)这(zhè)是(shì)最(zuì)好(hǎo)的(de)办(bàn)法(fǎ)。

Many experts believe this is the best solution.

认为 → a more formal “to hold the view that”; it does not imply the view is wrong.

以为 = to think or assume, mistakenly The truth usually comes out afterwards.