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How to say “mistakenly think that” in Chinese with 以为 (yǐwéi)

Subj. + 以为 (yǐwéi)⋯⋯

Expressing "mistakenly think that" with "以为 (yǐwéi)"

HSK 4Verbs

Rule structure

以为 (yǐwéi) means "to think (mistakenly), to assume incorrectly". It implies that the speaker's previous belief was wrong.

Examples

我以为他是老师，其实他是学生。

Wǒ yǐwéi tā shì lǎoshī, qíshí tā shì xuésheng.

I thought he was a teacher, but actually he is a student.

Practice

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Frequently asked questions

How do you express “Expressing "mistakenly think that" with "以为 (yǐwéi)"” in Chinese?

Use the structure: Subj. + 以为 (yǐwéi)⋯⋯. For example: 我以为他是老师，其实他是学生。 — “I thought he was a teacher, but actually he is a student.”.

What is an example sentence with this grammar rule?

我以为他是老师，其实他是学生。 — “I thought he was a teacher, but actually he is a student.”.

Which HSK level includes this grammar rule?

This grammar rule is part of HSK 4.

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