bù zhī suǒ yún: 不知所云 - Not Knowing What is Being Said, Incomprehensible

• Keywords: bù zhī suǒ yún, bu zhi suo yun, 不知所云, Chinese idiom, incomprehensible, what are you talking about in Chinese, doesn't make sense, rambling, incoherent, chengyu, Chinese expression for confusing speech
• Summary: “Bù zhī suǒ yún” (不知所云) is a common Chinese idiom (chengyu) used to describe speech or writing that is confusing, rambling, illogical, or completely incomprehensible. It literally translates to “not know what is being said.” This versatile phrase can be used to criticize a poorly structured argument, describe someone speaking incoherently, or even be used in a self-deprecating way. It is an essential term for learners who want to express confusion about the *content* of a message, not just the language itself.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): bù zhī suǒ yún
• Part of Speech: Chengyu (Idiom) / Verb Phrase
• HSK Level: HSK 6
• Concise Definition: To not know what someone is saying; to be incoherent or incomprehensible.
• In a Nutshell: This is the perfect phrase for when you hear or read something and think, “What on earth are they talking about?” It's not about a language barrier; it's about the message itself being a mess. Think of a politician dodging a question with a rambling answer, a professor using overly dense jargon, or someone so nervous their words come out in a jumble. The feeling is one of complete confusion caused by the speaker's lack of clarity.

• 不 (bù): A straightforward negation particle meaning “not” or “no.”
• 知 (zhī): Means “to know” or “to understand.”
• 所 (suǒ): A grammatical particle from classical Chinese. It's placed before a verb to turn it into a noun phrase, meaning “that which…” or “what is…”. So, `所云` means “that which is said.”
• 云 (yún): In classical Chinese, this character means “to say” (modern Chinese typically uses `说 shuō`).

Putting it all together, `不 + 知 + 所 + 云` creates the literal and direct meaning: “to not know that which is said.” This structure perfectly captures the idea of something being fundamentally incomprehensible.

• Literary Origin: This idiom has ancient roots, famously appearing in a slightly different form in Zhuge Liang's (诸葛亮) renowned “Former Memorial on Dispatching the Troops” (《前出师表》) from the Three Kingdoms period. He wrote, “临表涕零，不知所言” (lín biǎo tì líng, bù zhī suǒ yán), meaning “As I write this memorial, my tears fall, and I know not what I am saying.” Here, he used `言 (yán)` instead of `云 (yún)`, but the meaning is identical. It originally conveyed being so overwhelmed with emotion that one's speech becomes incoherent.
• Comparison to Western Concepts: A close English equivalent is “It's all Greek to me,” but there's a key difference. “It's all Greek to me” implies the listener's lack of knowledge in a specific subject (like physics or a foreign language). `不知所云`, however, almost always places the fault on the speaker or writer. It criticizes their inability to communicate clearly. It's less “I don't have the knowledge to understand this” and more “You are not making any sense.” It's closer in spirit to calling something “word salad” or saying someone is “rambling incoherently.”
• Cultural Value: While Chinese communication can sometimes be famously indirect, this idiom highlights that there is a strong cultural value placed on logical and clear expression. Being accused of speaking in a way that is `不知所云` is a pointed criticism of one's ability to think and communicate effectively.

`不知所云` is a common idiom used in both formal and informal settings.

• In Conversation: You might use it to react to a friend's confusing story or a public figure's baffling statement. It can be a lighthearted jab or a serious criticism.
  • “What was that movie about?” “I have no idea, the plot was totally 不知所云.”
• In Writing and Academia: It's often used in critiques of articles, essays, or reports that are poorly written, illogical, or filled with meaningless jargon.
  • A teacher might write on a student's paper: “Your argument is unclear and 不知所云.”
• Self-Deprecation: You can use it to talk about yourself, which softens the critical edge.
  • “I'm sorry, I was so tired when I wrote that email, it's probably 不知所云.”
• On Social Media: It's frequently used online to comment on confusing news articles, strange posts, or nonsensical arguments.

Its connotation is generally negative, as it's a direct criticism of clarity. However, when used about oneself, it becomes neutral and humble.

• Example 1:
  • 那个教授的讲座太专业了，我听得不知所云。
  • Pinyin: Nàge jiàoshòu de jiǎngzuò tài zhuānyè le, wǒ tīng de bù zhī suǒ yún.
  • English: That professor's lecture was too technical; I listened but it was all incomprehensible to me.
  • Analysis: A common scenario where complex subject matter leads to the feeling of `不知所云`. It's a neutral statement about the listener's own experience.
• Example 2:
  • 他喝醉了，开始不知所云地说话。
  • Pinyin: Tā hē zuì le, kāishǐ bù zhī suǒ yún de shuōhuà.
  • English: He got drunk and started talking incoherently.
  • Analysis: Here, `不知所云` functions as an adverbial phrase describing the way he was talking—rambling and nonsensical.
• Example 3:
  • 这篇报告逻辑混乱，前言不搭后语，简直是不知所云。
  • Pinyin: Zhè piān bàogào luójí hùnluàn, qiányánbùdāhòuyǔ, jiǎnzhí shì bù zhī suǒ yún.
  • English: This report's logic is a mess, it's self-contradictory, and frankly, it's complete gibberish.
  • Analysis: This is a strong, negative criticism of a piece of writing, using `简直是 (jiǎnzhí shì)` to emphasize the point.
• Example 4:
  • 你到底想说什么？我完全不知所云！
  • Pinyin: Nǐ dàodǐ xiǎng shuō shénme? Wǒ wánquán bù zhī suǒ yún!
  • English: What on earth are you trying to say? I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about!
  • Analysis: A direct and somewhat confrontational use of the phrase, expressing frustration with the speaker's lack of clarity.
• Example 5:
  • 抱歉，我昨晚没睡好，现在可能有点儿不知所云。
  • Pinyin: Bàoqiàn, wǒ zuówǎn méi shuì hǎo, xiànzài kěnéng yǒudiǎnr bù zhī suǒ yún.
  • English: Sorry, I didn't sleep well last night, so I might be rambling a bit right now.
  • Analysis: A great example of self-deprecating usage. It's a polite way to preemptively apologize for not being clear-headed.
• Example 6:
  • 很多人觉得现代艺术不知所云，但其实它有自己的语言。
  • Pinyin: Hěn duō rén juéde xiàndài yìshù bù zhī suǒ yún, dàn qíshí tā yǒu zìjǐ de yǔyán.
  • English: Many people feel that modern art is incomprehensible, but actually, it has its own language.
  • Analysis: This shows how the term can be used to describe a general perception about a complex or abstract topic like art.
• Example 7:
  • 这份法律文件的条款写得让人不知所云。
  • Pinyin: Zhè fèn fǎlǜ wénjiàn de tiáokuǎn xiě de ràng rén bù zhī suǒ yún.
  • English: The clauses in this legal document are written in a way that makes them incomprehensible.
  • Analysis: The structure `让(ràng) + 人(rén) + 不知所云` means “to make people feel that it is incomprehensible.”
• Example 8:
  • 他在会议上的发言充满了行话，我们这些外行听了都不知所云。
  • Pinyin: Tā zài huìyì shàng de fāyán chōngmǎnle hánghuà, wǒmen zhèxiē wàiháng tīngle dōu bù zhī suǒ yún.
  • English: His speech at the meeting was full of jargon; all of us who are laymen were completely lost.
  • Analysis: A perfect example of how jargon-filled speech can be described as `不知所云`.
• Example 9:
  • 孩子兴奋地给我讲了一个故事，但我听了半天还是不知所云。
  • Pinyin: Háizi xīngfèn de gěi wǒ jiǎngle yí ge gùshi, dàn wǒ tīngle bàntiān háishì bù zhī suǒ yún.
  • English: The child excitedly told me a story, but after listening for a long time, I still had no idea what it was about.
  • Analysis: A gentle, humorous use of the phrase to describe a child's rambling and illogical storytelling.
• Example 10:
  • 他的解释非但没有澄清问题，反而让我更加不知所云了。
  • Pinyin: Tā de jiěshì fēidàn méiyǒu chéngqīng wèntí, fǎn'ér ràng wǒ gèngjiā bù zhī suǒ yún le.
  • English: His explanation not only failed to clarify the issue, but on the contrary, it made me even more confused.
  • Analysis: The `非但…反而… (fēidàn…fǎn'ér…)` structure means “not only… but on the contrary…” and is used here to show the explanation had the opposite of its intended effect.

• Not for Language Barriers: This is the most common mistake for learners. `不知所云` is used when you understand the individual words but the overall message is incoherent. It is not used to say “I don't speak/understand Chinese.”
  • Incorrect: 他说中文，我不知所云。 (Tā shuō Zhōngwén, wǒ bù zhī suǒ yún.)
  • Reason: This sounds strange, implying his Chinese itself was nonsensical. The natural way to say this is:
  • Correct: 他说中文，我听不懂。 (Tā shuō Zhōngwén, wǒ tīng bù dǒng.)
• `不知所云` vs. `莫名其妙` (mò míng qí miào): These are easily confused.
  • `不知所云` specifically refers to communication (speech, writing) that is incomprehensible.
  • `莫名其妙` (mò míng qí miào) means “baffling” or “inexplicable” and can describe a much wider range of things: a situation, a person's behavior, a feeling, an event.
  • Example: If a speaker gives a rambling, illogical speech, it is `不知所云`. If your friend suddenly starts laughing for no reason, their behavior is `莫名其妙`.

• 语无伦次 (yǔ wú lún cì) - A very close synonym meaning “to speak incoherently or illogically.” Often used to describe someone who is flustered, nervous, or drunk.
• 胡说八道 (hú shuō bā dào) - To talk nonsense; to spout rubbish. This is much stronger and more accusatory than `不知所云`, implying the speaker is intentionally lying or talking drivel.
• 莫名其妙 (mò míng qí miào) - Baffling, inexplicable. Describes a baffling situation or behavior, not just incomprehensible speech.
• 听不懂 (tīng bù dǒng) - The basic phrase for “I don't understand” what is being said, often due to a language barrier, background noise, or lack of vocabulary.
• 看不懂 (kàn bù dǒng) - The basic phrase for “I don't understand” what is written.
• 深奥 (shēn'ào) - Profound, abstruse, deep. Describes content that is difficult to understand due to its intellectual complexity. A `深奥` lecture might cause the listener to feel `不知所云`.
• 前言不搭后语 (qián yán bù dā hòu yǔ) - Lit. “The previous words don't match the later words.” A vivid idiom for speech that is contradictory or doesn't follow a logical sequence.