说不定
shuō bu dìng
Maybe, perhaps
说不定 (shuō bù dìng) — maybe, perhaps
Subj. + 说不定 (shuōbudìng) + Verb / Adj.
HSK 43.0
Pattern diagram
Who / what说不定Action
Rule structure
说不定 (shuō bù dìng) (shuōbudìng) is a colloquial adverb meaning "maybe" or "who knows". It comes before the predicate and expresses uncertain possibility. It differs from 可能 (kěnéng) by its more conversational tone.
Rule structure
说不定 (shuō bù dìng) (shuōbudìng) is a colloquial adverb meaning "maybe" or "who knows". It comes before the predicate and expresses uncertain possibility. It differs from 可能 (kěnéng) by its more conversational tone.
Examples
他今天没来，说不定生病了。
Tā jīntiān méi lái, shuōbudìng shēngbìng le.
He didn't come today; maybe he's sick.
带上伞吧，说不定下午下雨。
Dài shang sǎn ba, shuōbudìng xiàwǔ xià yǔ.
Take an umbrella; it might rain in the afternoon.
Examples
他今天没来，说不定生病了。
Tā jīntiān méi lái, shuōbudìng shēngbìng le.
He didn't come today; maybe he's sick.
带上伞吧，说不定下午下雨。
Dài shang sǎn ba, shuōbudìng xiàwǔ xià yǔ.
Take an umbrella; it might rain in the afternoon.
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Words from this rule
Frequently asked questions
How do you say “maybe, perhaps” in Chinese with 说不定?
Use the structure: Subj. + 说不定 (shuōbudìng) + Verb / Adj.. For example: 他今天没来，说不定生病了。 — “He didn't come today; maybe he's sick”.
What is an example sentence with this grammar rule?
他今天没来，说不定生病了。 — “He didn't come today; maybe he's sick”.
Which HSK level includes this grammar rule?
This grammar rule is part of HSK 3.0 Level 4.
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到底 — in the end, after all
到底 (dàodǐ) + Verb / Adj.
究竟 — in the end
究竟 (jiūjìng) + Question word / Question