无所谓

wú suǒ wèi
phrase★Intermediate
◆ What It Really Means
Expressing indifference or lack of concern about something.
Literal Meaning
Not what is said or mentioned.
Literal Breakdown
无not+所谓what is said or mentioned
◇ Mental Image
The mental image of something being so unimportant that it's not even worth mentioning.
◈ When to Use
When someone asks your opinion on something trivial, you might respond with '无所谓' to indicate it doesn't matter to you.
◉ Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, expressing indifference can sometimes be seen as a way to avoid conflict or to show humility.
informal

It doesn't matter; it's no big deal; I don't care

你喜欢哪个颜色？

Which color do you like?

无所谓，随便。

It doesn't matter, whatever.

💡

This phrase is commonly used to express indifference or lack of preference.

Collocations

无所谓it doesn't matter随便whatever

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Phrases

没什么phrase
it doesn't matter
无关紧要phrase
not important

💡Pro Tip

Usage Tip

Use '无所谓' when you want to express that something is not important or you don't care about it.

⚡Gold Rule

Politeness

While '无所谓' is casual, it can sometimes sound dismissive. Use '没什么' for a softer tone.

📖Word Origin

Composed of '无' (not) + '所谓' (what is said/mentioned), literally meaning 'not what is said' or 'not worth mentioning'.

📝Usage Notes

Often used in casual conversations to show indifference or to downplay the importance of something.

Word Breakdown

无
not
prefix
+
所谓
what is said/mentioned
root
汉英词典