<p>Just found this interesting <a href="http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=477816" rel="nofollow">discussion</a>. It offered a definition:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>This expression [for all you know] can be used in any context where the speaker wishes to convey that the listener is failing (deliberately or otherwise) to consider all the possibilities.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>And some paraphrases:</p>

<pre><code>it wouldn't be surprising if
it would make sense to think
You have no knowledge that would disprove that
As far as you're concerned, it is entirely possible that
You might very well assume that
</code></pre>

<p>All typical English style phrases that defy direct translation.</p>

<p>没准, 说不定, 谁知道 are all good, but the style is a bit off because the "you" part is omitted. So I propose this:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>For all you know, she could be lying to you.
  你也说不准, 也许她对你撒谎了呢。</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Also:</p>

<ul>
<li>for all I know -- 我也不敢肯定.</li>
<li>for all we know -- 我们都说不准.</li>
</ul>

<p>But sometimes it might be better to drop the pronoun and just use 说不准 and alike, depends on the situation and mood.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-01-23T01:34:16.903Z
2015-01-23T11:01:55.800Z
2015-01-23T11:01:55.800Z
Wang Dingwei
<p>天知道 is also ok</p>

<p>"For all you know, something could have happened."
說不定發生了一些事情</p>

<p>"We better wash them first, for all we know, they could be covered in pesticide"
還是先洗洗，天知道有沒有農藥</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-01-28T02:27:14.413Z
2015-01-28T02:27:14.413Z
velut luna
<p>For all you know, she could be lying to you.</p>

<p>听你所见,她可有在骗你.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-01-23T07:12:13.597Z
2015-01-23T07:12:13.597Z
Fan Applelin
<p>Agree with StumpyJoePete. </p>

<p>As we all know = Everybody knows.</p>

<p>For all you know = You don't really know for sure. </p>

<p>I think Damian Siniakowicz's suggestion will work. </p>

<p>We better wash the vegetables first, for all we know, they could be covered in pesticide</p>

<p>我们还是先把蔬菜洗一下，说不定有農藥呢。</p>

<p>A couple more suggestions:</p>

<p>我们还是先把蔬菜洗一下，誰知道有沒有農藥呢？</p>

<p>我们还是先把蔬菜洗一下，可能有農藥呢。</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-01-23T00:10:13.247Z
2015-01-23T00:10:13.247Z
monalisa
<p>What are the best ways to translate <code>For all you know</code>?</p>
<p>For example:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>For all you know, she could be lying to you.</p>
<p>In response to a friend getting upset that her friend isn't picking up her phone, I respond, &quot;For all you know, something could have happened.&quot;</p>
<p>A neighbor sends us some vegetables and I tell my wife, &quot;We better wash them first, for all we know, they could be covered in pesticide&quot;</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-01-22T22:37:57.883Z
cf。iciba＇s entry for：＂for all I know＂： 就我所知，网落：剧我所知，谁知道呢，１０ sample sentences，４ with 据我所知，１ with 我所知道的是，３ with 就我所知，１ with 说不定， １ with 谁知道呢also： You could be a Russian spy for all I know 你可能是个俄罗斯间谍
user6065
<translation><idioms>
How to translate "For all you know"?
# How to translate "For all you know"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-01-22)

What are the best ways to translate `For all you know`?

For example:

> For all you know, she could be lying to you.
>
> In response to a friend getting upset that her friend isn't picking up her phone, I respond, "For all you know, something could have happened."
>
> A neighbor sends us some vegetables and I tell my wife, "We better wash them first, for all we know, they could be covered in pesticide"

**Tags:** translation, idioms

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: cf。iciba＇s entry for：＂for all I know＂： 就我所知，网落：剧我所知，谁知道呢，１０ sample sentences，４ with 据我所知，１ with 我所知道的是，３ with 就我所知，１ with 说不定， １ with 谁知道呢also： You could be a Russian spy for all I know 你可能是个俄罗斯间谍  

---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2015-01-23. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

Agree with StumpyJoePete.

As we all know = Everybody knows.

For all you know = You don't really know for sure.

I think Damian Siniakowicz's suggestion will work.

We better wash the vegetables first, for all we know, they could be covered in pesticide

我们还是先把蔬菜洗一下，说不定有農藥呢。

A couple more suggestions:

我们还是先把蔬菜洗一下，誰知道有沒有農藥呢？

我们还是先把蔬菜洗一下，可能有農藥呢。


---

### Answer by username_2 on 2015-01-23. Score: 2

Just found this interesting [discussion](http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=477816). It offered a definition:

> This expression [for all you know] can be used in any context where the speaker wishes to convey that the listener is failing (deliberately or otherwise) to consider all the possibilities.

And some paraphrases:

```
it wouldn't be surprising if
it would make sense to think
You have no knowledge that would disprove that
As far as you're concerned, it is entirely possible that
You might very well assume that

```

All typical English style phrases that defy direct translation.

没准, 说不定, 谁知道 are all good, but the style is a bit off because the "you" part is omitted. So I propose this:

> For all you know, she could be lying to you.
> 你也说不准, 也许她对你撒谎了呢。

Also:

* for all I know -- 我也不敢肯定.
* for all we know -- 我们都说不准.

But sometimes it might be better to drop the pronoun and just use 说不准 and alike, depends on the situation and mood.


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2015-01-28. Score: 1

天知道 is also ok

"For all you know, something could have happened."
說不定發生了一些事情

"We better wash them first, for all we know, they could be covered in pesticide"
還是先洗洗，天知道有沒有農藥


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2015-01-23. Score: -1

For all you know, she could be lying to you.

听你所见,她可有在骗你.


---

