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    Chinese Grammar

    Expressing knowing with 知道 (zhīdào)

    Actions & Events
    Aspect & Tense

    Structure

    Subject + 知道 + 了 + Clause

    Explanation

    知道 (zhīdào) means 'to know' a fact or piece of information. When combined with 了, as in 知道了, it indicates the moment of realizing or finding out something new. For example, 她马上就知道了那是什么 means 'she immediately knew what it was.'

    Examples

    • 我刚才看了新闻，才知道了这件事。

      Wǒ gāngcái kàn le xīnwén, cái zhīdào le zhè jiàn shì.

      I just watched the news and only then learned about this.

    • 她终于知道了事情的真相。

      Tā zhōngyú zhīdào le shìqíng de zhēnxiàng.

      She finally learned the truth of the matter.

    • 你要是早点告诉我，我就知道了。

      Nǐ yàoshi zǎo diǎn gàosù wǒ, wǒ jiù zhīdào le.

      If you had told me earlier, I would have known.

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