<p>I think in this case 还 doesn't indicate the continuation or in addion to. It denotes this sense defined in dictionaries:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>（表示对某件事物没想到如此， 而居然如此）(something goes unlike one's original thought):</p>
<p>He really is resourceful.</p>
<p>他还真有办法。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>So,</p>
<blockquote>
<p>快下雪了，我还以为今天是好天气</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The sentence is saying that my original thought was today would be good weather,  but now it will snow soon(which is against my original thought).</p>
<p>Note that my interpretation is not a word for word translation. My intention is to explain the meaning of the sentence.</p>
<p><strong>Your translation 2 seems fine</strong> because the past tense thought in English can express one's original thought in this case. <em>Still</em> and <em>also</em> are not appropriate because they denote different meanings instead of the sense addressed above.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-18T23:46:47.483Z
2019-11-19T00:10:40.710Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
dan
<p>You always need the context to interpret correctly. Maybe the person likes snow? Nothing like a beautiful snowy day!</p>

<p>快下雪了，<br>
It's gonna snow soon,<br>
我还以为今天是好天气。<br>
I still reckon today's weather is great.</p>

<p>还以为： still believe</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-19T01:04:32.153Z
Doesn't 以为 carry the idea that it was [a mistaken belief](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22mistakenly_think_that%22_with_%22yiwei%22)?
Becky 李蓓
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-20T02:30:56.337Z
Often, yes, but not always. 吾深以为然。= 我认为是这样。
Pedroski
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-18T23:07:51.133Z
2019-11-18T23:07:51.133Z
Pedroski
<p>It implies that I had been thinking today is a good day, until I noticed that it would snow soon. <code>还</code> means <code>本来</code> here, it indicates a continuation of original thought. For no. 3, I wouldn't say it's wrong, but it sounds very Chinglish to me. </p>

<p>It couldn't be "also", because 快下雪 means bad weather, which is opposite to good weather. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-18T19:51:54.853Z
2019-11-18T19:51:54.853Z
sylvia
<p>I am reading a textbook and I already understand that 还 （hai) is used to indicate continuation or in addition to something, but for the following sentence it is not exactly clear. When I read the following sentence I see three meanings:</p>

<p>快下雪了，我还以为今天是好天气 </p>

<ol>
<li>It will snow soon, I <strong>also</strong> thought today is good weather.</li>
<li>It will snow soon, I thought today is good weather.</li>
<li>It will snow soon, I still thought today is good weather.</li>
</ol>

<p>How does "hai" function in this sentence and why is the translation correct for .2 but not .1?</p>

<p>Thank You.</p>

<grammar>
How does 还 function in 快下雪了，我还以为今天是好天气?
# How does 还 function in 快下雪了，我还以为今天是好天气?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-11-18)

I am reading a textbook and I already understand that 还 （hai) is used to indicate continuation or in addition to something, but for the following sentence it is not exactly clear. When I read the following sentence I see three meanings:

快下雪了，我还以为今天是好天气

1. It will snow soon, I **also** thought today is good weather.
2. It will snow soon, I thought today is good weather.
3. It will snow soon, I still thought today is good weather.

How does "hai" function in this sentence and why is the translation correct for .2 but not .1?

Thank You.

**Tags:** grammar

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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2019-11-18. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

It implies that I had been thinking today is a good day, until I noticed that it would snow soon. `还` means `本来` here, it indicates a continuation of original thought. For no. 3, I wouldn't say it's wrong, but it sounds very Chinglish to me.

It couldn't be "also", because 快下雪 means bad weather, which is opposite to good weather.


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### Answer by username_1 on 2019-11-18. Score: 2

I think in this case 还 doesn't indicate the continuation or in addion to. It denotes this sense defined in dictionaries:

> （表示对某件事物没想到如此， 而居然如此）(something goes unlike one's original thought):
>
> He really is resourceful.
>
> 他还真有办法。

So,

> 快下雪了，我还以为今天是好天气

The sentence is saying that my original thought was today would be good weather, but now it will snow soon(which is against my original thought).

Note that my interpretation is not a word for word translation. My intention is to explain the meaning of the sentence.

**Your translation 2 seems fine** because the past tense thought in English can express one's original thought in this case. *Still* and *also* are not appropriate because they denote different meanings instead of the sense addressed above.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2019-11-18. Score: 0

You always need the context to interpret correctly. Maybe the person likes snow? Nothing like a beautiful snowy day!

快下雪了，  
It's gonna snow soon,  
我还以为今天是好天气。  
I still reckon today's weather is great.

还以为： still believe

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Doesn't 以为 carry the idea that it was [a mistaken belief](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22mistakenly_think_that%22_with_%22yiwei%22)?  
> **username_2**: Often, yes, but not always. 吾深以为然。= 我认为是这样。  

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