How to say “I don't know” in Chinese
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Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Word by word
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知 is a flat first tone, then 道 falls (fourth). 不 stays bù because the next syllable 知 is a first tone, not a fourth.
In a sentence
Wǒ bù zhīdào tā de míngzi.
I don't know his name.
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
How do you say "I don't know" in Chinese?+
"I don't know" in Mandarin Chinese is 我不知道, pronounced wǒ bù zhīdào. 知 is a flat first tone, then 道 falls (fourth). 不 stays bù because the next syllable 知 is a first tone, not a fourth.
What does 我不知道 mean literally?+
我不知道 breaks down as 我 (wǒ) = I, 不 (bù) = not, 知 (zhī) = to know, 道 (dào) = (part of 'know'). Together it means "I don't know".
How do I get the tones right in wǒ bù zhīdào?+
知 is a flat first tone, then 道 falls (fourth). 不 stays bù because the next syllable 知 is a first tone, not a fourth.
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See all the phrases on the how to say things in Chinese index, or read how to learn Mandarin tones.