难道 nán dào
“don't tell me ...; could it be that...?”
adverbHSK 4 · 2021 list level 3Traditional 難道
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
难道 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 1525: 难道 nándào — Level 4; official annotation 4 (副). PDF page 118
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 难道
难道 is an adverb used in rhetorical questions to show surprise, disbelief, or a challenge: 'Could it be that…? / Don't tell me…?' It usually comes before the subject or predicate, and the sentence often ends with 吗: 难道……吗？ It does not simply mean 'maybe' or introduce a plain statement.
例句Example sentences
- 难道你忘了明天有考试吗？nán dào nǐ wàng le míng tiān yǒu kǎo shì ma?Don't tell me you forgot there's an exam tomorrow?
- 这么简单的问题，难道你也不会？zhè me jiǎn dān de wèn tí, nán dào nǐ yě bú huì?Such a simple question—could it be that even you can't answer it?
- 难道他不来了吗？nán dào tā bù lái le ma?Could it be that he's not coming?
常见错误Common mistakes
-
✗这条路很难道。
✓这条路很难走。
难道 is a rhetorical adverb, not an adjective meaning 'difficult'; use 难 or 难走 for 'difficult'.