<p>不三不四 is a perfectly acceptable term in Mandarin </p>

<p><strong>Oxford</strong></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>IDIOM</p>
  
  <p>1 指人 shady</p>
  
  <p>交不三不四的朋友 </p>
  
  <p>make friends with dubious characters</p>
</blockquote>

<p>></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>2 指言词 neither one thing nor the other</p>
  
  <p>说些不三不四的话 </p>
  
  <p>make frivolous remarks</p>
</blockquote>

<p>I think you might be mistaking 不知说谓 for 不知所谓 which 汉语大辞典 defines as:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>不知道该怎么办, 犹言无计可施。</p>
</blockquote>

<p>不三不四 is definitely better though!</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-23T16:18:33.823Z
You mentioned that one is definitely better than the other. Could you explain why? Also because I do not want to misuse phrases could you explain the context in which the phrases should be used (i.e. when should I use the phrase, would it be demeaning?)
Tommie C.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-23T16:37:33.410Z
不知所谓 is pretty much never used, I wouldn't even try learning it if I were you. 不三不四 doesn't have any un-demeaning parts...anytime you use it will be negative and demeaning.
Mou某
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-25T05:40:05.317Z
Cantonese speakers still say 不知所谓. Its equivalence in Mandarin should be 不知所云 or 不知道说的是什么 which means nobody understands what you said and even you don't know what you've said.
wind rose
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-23T16:14:17.933Z
2014-08-23T16:14:17.933Z
Mou某
<p>I have heard 不三不四 pronounced (m sarm m sei) in Cantonese. I wonder if Mandarin speakers use this term and in what context? When I asked, someone they supposed that Mandarin speakers might prefer to use something like</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>不知說謂</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Which is correct and could anyone supply sample context? Is there a deeper meaning other than the literal sense?</p>

<p>Some one said the phrase is a bit degrading. </p>

<mandarin><meaning-in-context>
不知說謂, 不三不四 - Meaning In Context?
# 不知說謂, 不三不四 - Meaning In Context?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-08-23)

I have heard 不三不四 pronounced (m sarm m sei) in Cantonese. I wonder if Mandarin speakers use this term and in what context? When I asked, someone they supposed that Mandarin speakers might prefer to use something like

> 不知說謂

Which is correct and could anyone supply sample context? Is there a deeper meaning other than the literal sense?

Some one said the phrase is a bit degrading.

**Tags:** mandarin, meaning-in-context


---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2014-08-23. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

不三不四 is a perfectly acceptable term in Mandarin

**Oxford**

> IDIOM
>
> 1 指人 shady
>
> 交不三不四的朋友
>
> make friends with dubious characters

>

> 2 指言词 neither one thing nor the other
>
> 说些不三不四的话
>
> make frivolous remarks

I think you might be mistaking 不知说谓 for 不知所谓 which 汉语大辞典 defines as:

> 不知道该怎么办, 犹言无计可施。

不三不四 is definitely better though!

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: You mentioned that one is definitely better than the other. Could you explain why? Also because I do not want to misuse phrases could you explain the context in which the phrases should be used (i.e. when should I use the phrase, would it be demeaning?)  
> **username_1**: 不知所谓 is pretty much never used, I wouldn't even try learning it if I were you. 不三不四 doesn't have any un-demeaning parts...anytime you use it will be negative and demeaning.  
> **username_2**: Cantonese speakers still say 不知所谓. Its equivalence in Mandarin should be 不知所云 or 不知道说的是什么 which means nobody understands what you said and even you don't know what you've said.  

---

