<p>据我所知 is neutral, and hence is not appropriate in this case.
I agree with fefe that "说不准" can be used, but where I'm from, we generally use "说不定" instead.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-25T16:02:55.940Z
2012-11-25T16:02:55.940Z
Ewin
<p>Franky, for the example sentences you wrote, I think 有可能 is a good way to translate "For all I know". This Chinese wording can imply that you don't know. It's just more common than any more direct translation of "For all I know".</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-29T04:35:55.633Z
2012-11-29T04:35:55.633Z
Dan
<p>I can only give some possible translations based on your explanation of "For all I know":</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>For all I know, he might have gone abroad.</p>
  
  <p>他说不准出国了呢。 </p>
  
  <p>For all I know, she doesn't even work there anymore.</p>
  
  <p>她没准已经不在哪工作了呢。</p>
  
  <p>For all I know, the test hasn't even been written yet.</p>
  
  <p>测试题说不准还没出呢。</p>
</blockquote>

<p>We would use "说不准" "没准" and things like that to express the uncertainty. I can't think of one phrase that would have the same meaning of "For all I know" as your explained.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-09-20T21:20:42.373Z
I think `For all I know` should be `以我所知` because `以` similar to `from`/`for`, `我` = `I`, and `所知` = `things (one) knows`.
Pete C.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-01-22T23:37:47.823Z
@PeteC. no, that is an incorrect definition of the English idiom. For more details see: http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/92207/what-is-the-correct-definition-and-usage-of-for-all-i-know
congusbongus
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-08T18:39:56.070Z
These are good answers. It's true, `以我所知` is not the same, even though it seems like it is, it doesn't have the same feel.
Hasen
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-24T01:37:05.513Z
2012-11-24T03:23:42.463Z
2012-11-24T03:23:42.463Z
fefe
<p>There is an expression in English:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><em>&quot;For all I know, ....&quot;</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>The following clause often has a modal expressing uncertainty or the hypothetical nature of the assertion, like &quot;might&quot;, &quot;may&quot;, &quot;could&quot;, or &quot;would&quot;.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>For all I know, he might have gone abroad.</p>
<p>For all I know, she doesn't even work there anymore.</p>
<p>For all I know, the test hasn't even been written yet.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The usage is usually something like this. You are talking about some topic. You disavow even a basic level of certainty about the topic by saying &quot;For all I know, <strong>X</strong>&quot;, meaning something like &quot;I can't even be sure that <strong>X</strong> isn't true. How can I say anything useful about the topic, if I can't even rule out possibility <strong>X</strong>?&quot;</p>
<p>This is <strong>not</strong> the same as &quot;To the best of my knowledge, <strong>X</strong>&quot; (which means you really think <strong>X</strong>, you are just saying you are unsure). I think that &quot;As far as I know&quot; is more like &quot;To the best of my knowledge&quot; than &quot;For all I know&quot;, but I think it might have some flexibility. I don't know.</p>
<p>=======================</p>
<p>So, my question is whether Chinese has any equivalent phrases or ways to express &quot;For all I know&quot;? I've seen a few instances of <code>据我所知</code>, but I don't know whether that's idiomatic Chinese or just a stilted and academic translation. Also, I don't know whether it really has any of the same implications that &quot;For all I know&quot; has. For all I know, <code>据我所知</code> is just a neutral statement like &quot;To the best of my knowledge&quot;!</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-24T01:33:55.683Z
If uncertainty is expressed in "For all I know", then can the first example do without "might"? Is there any uncertainty in this statement "For all I know, he has already left the country"?
杨以轩
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-24T05:13:01.003Z
@QuestionOverflow The way I phrased it and the way you phrased it are both acceptable.
Stumpy Joe Pete
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-24T05:50:29.563Z
What I am trying to explain is that there is no implicit uncertainty in the phrase at all. "For all I know" is the same as "for all that I know", "to the best of my knowledge" or "as far as I know". Depending on the tone, it may sound rude and can be spoken by someone who is irritated and wants to end the questioning from the asker.
杨以轩
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-24T09:27:05.767Z
@QuestionOverflow Part of what I was explaining is that "For all I know" is not the same as "to the best of my knowledge". If I believed he had left the country but wasn't sure, I could say "As far as I know, he has already left the country." If you're asking me if he's leaving next week or the week after, and I'm trying to tell you I don't have any clue, I might say "As far as I know, he's already left the country", implying I don't even know whether he's still here, much less when he's leaving.
Stumpy Joe Pete
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-25T04:11:32.867Z
Pardon my ignorance. You are right. "For all I know" actually means the person not knowing much at all. @fefe's answer is as good as it gets.
杨以轩
<mandarin><word-choice><equivalent-phrase><phrase>
Does Chinese have a phrase equivalent to "For all I know"?
# Does Chinese have a phrase equivalent to "For all I know"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-11-23)

There is an expression in English:

> *"For all I know, ...."*

The following clause often has a modal expressing uncertainty or the hypothetical nature of the assertion, like "might", "may", "could", or "would".

> For all I know, he might have gone abroad.
>
> For all I know, she doesn't even work there anymore.
>
> For all I know, the test hasn't even been written yet.

The usage is usually something like this. You are talking about some topic. You disavow even a basic level of certainty about the topic by saying "For all I know, **X**", meaning something like "I can't even be sure that **X** isn't true. How can I say anything useful about the topic, if I can't even rule out possibility **X**?"

This is **not** the same as "To the best of my knowledge, **X**" (which means you really think **X**, you are just saying you are unsure). I think that "As far as I know" is more like "To the best of my knowledge" than "For all I know", but I think it might have some flexibility. I don't know.

=======================

So, my question is whether Chinese has any equivalent phrases or ways to express "For all I know"? I've seen a few instances of `据我所知`, but I don't know whether that's idiomatic Chinese or just a stilted and academic translation. Also, I don't know whether it really has any of the same implications that "For all I know" has. For all I know, `据我所知` is just a neutral statement like "To the best of my knowledge"!

**Tags:** mandarin, word-choice, equivalent-phrase, phrase

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: If uncertainty is expressed in "For all I know", then can the first example do without "might"? Is there any uncertainty in this statement "For all I know, he has already left the country"?  
> **username_0**: @QuestionOverflow The way I phrased it and the way you phrased it are both acceptable.  
> **username_1**: What I am trying to explain is that there is no implicit uncertainty in the phrase at all. "For all I know" is the same as "for all that I know", "to the best of my knowledge" or "as far as I know". Depending on the tone, it may sound rude and can be spoken by someone who is irritated and wants to end the questioning from the asker.  
> **username_0**: @QuestionOverflow Part of what I was explaining is that "For all I know" is not the same as "to the best of my knowledge". If I believed he had left the country but wasn't sure, I could say "As far as I know, he has already left the country." If you're asking me if he's leaving next week or the week after, and I'm trying to tell you I don't have any clue, I might say "As far as I know, he's already left the country", implying I don't even know whether he's still here, much less when he's leaving.  
> **username_1**: Pardon my ignorance. You are right. "For all I know" actually means the person not knowing much at all. @username_4's answer is as good as it gets.  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2012-11-24. Score: 8 | Accepted answer

I can only give some possible translations based on your explanation of "For all I know":

> For all I know, he might have gone abroad.
>
> 他说不准出国了呢。
>
> For all I know, she doesn't even work there anymore.
>
> 她没准已经不在哪工作了呢。
>
> For all I know, the test hasn't even been written yet.
>
> 测试题说不准还没出呢。

We would use "说不准" "没准" and things like that to express the uncertainty. I can't think of one phrase that would have the same meaning of "For all I know" as your explained.

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: I think `For all I know` should be `以我所知` because `以` similar to `from`/`for`, `我` = `I`, and `所知` = `things (one) knows`.  
> **username_6**: @PeteC. no, that is an incorrect definition of the English idiom. For more details see: http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/92207/what-is-the-correct-definition-and-usage-of-for-all-i-know  
> **username_7**: These are good answers. It's true, `以我所知` is not the same, even though it seems like it is, it doesn't have the same feel.  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2012-11-25. Score: 2

据我所知 is neutral, and hence is not appropriate in this case.
I agree with username_4 that "说不准" can be used, but where I'm from, we generally use "说不定" instead.


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2012-11-29. Score: 2

Franky, for the example sentences you wrote, I think 有可能 is a good way to translate "For all I know". This Chinese wording can imply that you don't know. It's just more common than any more direct translation of "For all I know".


---

