How to say “I don't know” in Chinese
Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Word by word
Tone tip
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
我不知道他的名字。
Wǒ bù zhīdào tā de míngzi.
I don't know his name.
Hear it and say it right
Reading pinyin only gets you halfway. ToneDeck plays native audio and scores your pronunciation so your tones land. HSK 1 is free, no install.
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.
More phrases like this
Master the tones behind it
What each tone sounds like and why it matters.
Why some tones change in connected speech.
See all the phrases on the how to say things in Chinese index.