无所谓X不X
it does not matter whether X or not
Structure
无所谓 X 不 X / X 不 X 都无所谓
What it means
It does not matter whether X or not: “I don’t mind”. In writing it can also mean “cannot be called either X or not X”.
How it is built
无所谓 + X不X, or X不X + (都)无所谓: 房子大不大无所谓,离地铁近就行 (it doesn’t matter if the flat is big, as long as it is near the metro). Also X没X, two opposites (输赢无所谓) or a question word (去哪儿都无所谓).
When to use it
Spoken “I don’t mind”, which can sound offhand (他一脸无所谓). In writing, “cannot be called either”: 希望是本无所谓有,无所谓无的 (鲁迅). One of the 所 + verb set phrases (6-2).
Watch out
It needs a choice before or after it: ✗我无所谓去 ✓去不去我都无所谓. When the choice comes first, 都 usually links it.
Examples
我无所谓去不去,你们定吧。
I don’t mind whether I go or not; you decide.
房子大不大无所谓,离地铁近就行。
It doesn’t matter whether the flat is big, as long as it is near the metro.
希望是本无所谓有,无所谓无的。(鲁迅《故乡》)
Hope cannot be said to exist, nor can it be said not to exist. (Lu Xun, “My Old Home”)
Learn this in Lesson 231 · HSK 9+: 庄子 (Zhuangzi, the laughing philosopher)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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