难道

nándào

Meaning

难道 is an adverb that strengthens a rhetorical question. The speaker is not really asking — they already believe they know the answer and are expressing surprise. 吗 usually closes the sentence, but it can be left out.

Basic structure

难道 + Clause + 吗？难道 + Clause？

The two key cases

1. A positive rhetorical question → the meaning is NEGATIVE. 2. A rhetorical question with 不 / 没 → the meaning is POSITIVE.

难(Nán)道(dào)汉(Hàn)语(yǔ)真(zhēn)的(de)这(zhè)么(me)难(nán)吗(ma)？

Is Chinese really that hard? (What it means: it isn't that hard.)

难(Nán)道(dào)你(nǐ)不(bù)减(jiǎn)肥(féi)了(le)？

Don't tell me you've given up dieting? (What it means: I thought you were dieting.)

Examples

怎(Zěn)么(me)又(yòu)买(mǎi)了(le)这(zhè)么(me)多(duō)饼(bǐng)干(gān)和(hé)巧(qiǎo)克(kè)力(lì)？

Why have you bought so many biscuits and so much chocolate again?

难(Nán)道(dào)你(nǐ)不(bù)减(jiǎn)肥(féi)了(le)？

Don't tell me you've given up dieting? (You were supposed to keep at it.)

喂(Wèi)，都(dōu)十(shí)点(diǎn)了(le)，你(nǐ)怎(zěn)么(me)还(hái)不(bù)来(lái)？

Hello, it's ten already — why aren't you here?

难(Nán)道(dào)你(nǐ)没(méi)看(kàn)短(duǎn)信(xìn)？我(Wǒ)今(jīn)天(tiān)有(yǒu)事(shì)去(qù)不(bù)了(liǎo)了(le)。

Didn't you see my text? Something came up today and I couldn't make it.

你(Nǐ)不(bù)是(shì)两(liǎng)点(diǎn)就(jiù)出(chū)发(fā)了(le)吗(ma)？难(Nán)道(dào)路(lù)上(shàng)花(huā)了(le)两(liǎng)个(gè)多(duō)小(xiǎo)时(shí)？

Didn't you set off at two? Surely the journey didn't take over two hours?

我(Wǒ)那(nà)辆(liàng)车(chē)出(chū)了(le)点儿(diǎnr)问(wèn)题(tí)，刚(gāng)才(cái)把(bǎ)车(chē)送(sòng)去(qù)修(xiū)了(le)。

Something went wrong with my car — I've just taken it in to be fixed.

难道 vs. a plain 吗 question

你(Nǐ)不(bù)减(jiǎn)肥(féi)了(le)吗(ma)？

Aren't you dieting any more? (A genuine question.)

难(Nán)道(dào)你(nǐ)不(bù)减(jiǎn)肥(féi)了(le)吗(ma)？

Don't tell me you're not dieting any more?! (Surprise — I thought you were.)

More examples

难(Nán)道(dào)你(nǐ)忘(wàng)了(le)？

Don't tell me you forgot?

难(Nán)道(dào)他(tā)不(bù)知(zhī)道(dào)？

Doesn't he know? (He ought to.)

A plain question vs. one with 难道

你(Nǐ)不(bù)去(qù)吗(ma)？

Aren't you going? (A plain question — the answer is unknown.)

难(Nán)道(dào)你(nǐ)不(bù)去(qù)吗(ma)？

Don't tell me you're not going?! (I thought you were.)

难道 turns a plain question into a strong rhetorical one.

The two forms side by side

难(Nán)道(dào)你(nǐ)不(bù)喜(xǐ)欢(huan)吗(ma)？

Don't you like it? → What it means: you do like it.

难(Nán)道(dào)你(nǐ)喜(xǐ)欢(huan)吗(ma)？

You actually like it? → What it means: you don't.

Remember: 难道 = surely…?, don't tell me… It strengthens a rhetorical question and expects no answer. Positive form → negative meaning; negative form → positive meaning.