难道
HSK 4 (exam 2025)HSK 3 (2021)Old HSK 4
难道 (nándào) · could it be that…?
难道 (nándào) means “could it be that…?; don't tell me…”. It is written with 2 characters: 难 (difficult) + 道 (road). It is an HSK 4 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
How 难道 is built
The characters
难 nán · difficult
What 难 is made of
- 又yòu — and
- 隹zhuī — short-tailed bird
- 亻rén — person
Origin hint: A hand 又 trying to grasp at a bird 隹 (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
道 dào · road
What 道 is made of
- 辶 — walking, moving
- 首shǒu — chief
- 丷ha — kwukyel
- 丶 — dot
- 自zì — self
- 目mù — eye
- 丷ha — kwukyel
Origin hint: 辶 gives the meaning, 首 gives the sound. (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
Example sentences
难道你不知道吗？Nándào nǐ bù zhīdào ma?Don't tell me you didn't know?
难道他忘了今天上课？Nándào tā wàng le jīntiān shàng kè?Could it be that he forgot about class today?
Questions about 难道
What does 难道 mean?
难道 (nándào) means “could it be that…?; don't tell me…”.
How do you pronounce 难道?
难道 is pronounced nándào.
Which HSK level is 难道?
难道 is in HSK 4 (exam 2025) and HSK 3 (2021) and Old HSK 4.
Related words
- 难过nánguòsad
- 难看nánkànugly
- 难受nánshòuto feel unwell
- 难题nántídifficult problem
- 难听nántīngunpleasant to hear
- 困难kùnnandifficulty
- 难度nándùdifficulty
- 难免nánmiǎnhard to avoid
- 难怪nánguàino wonder
- 艰难jiānnándifficult
Learn 难道 with its group
It is part of HSK 3 (2021) · Group 13: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.