请再说一遍
qǐng zài shuō yí biàn
Please say it again
How to say "I don't understand" in Chinese
我不懂
wǒ bù dǒng
I don't understand
Character breakdown
Grammar and structure
我 (wǒ) means 'I', 不 (bù) is the negation 'not', and 懂 (dǒng) means 'understand'. It's a simple subject-verb structure with a negative adverb.
Variations and politeness
我听不懂
wǒ tīng bù dǒng
I don't understand (what I hear). — Specifies that you don't understand something you heard.
我不太懂
wǒ bù tài dǒng
I don't quite understand. — A softer, more polite way to say you don't fully understand.
我不明白
wǒ bù míngbái
I don't understand. — A synonymous alternative, also suitable.
Mini dialogue
A
你明白这个吗？
nǐ míngbái zhège ma?
Do you understand this?
B
我不懂。
wǒ bù dǒng.
I don't understand.
When to use it
Appropriate
- When you don't understand a concept, language, or situation.
- In everyday conversation to express lack of understanding.
- When you need a neutral, common phrase to indicate confusion.
Avoid when
- When you want to be more formal or polite; use 我不明白 (wǒ bù míngbai) instead.
- When you specifically don't understand something you heard; use 我听不懂 (wǒ tīng bù dǒng) instead.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say 'I don't understand' in Chinese?
You can say '我不懂' (wǒ bù dǒng). It is a common and neutral way to express that you don't understand something.
How do you pronounce '我不懂'?
It is pronounced 'wǒ bù dǒng'. The tones are: wǒ (3rd tone), bù (4th tone), dǒng (3rd tone).
When do you use '我不懂'?
Use '我不懂' when you don't understand a concept, a language, or a situation. It is suitable for everyday speech and is neutral in tone.
More phrases for this situation
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