知るか
shiru ka
The English phrase 'idgaf' can be expressed in Japanese using 知るか (shiru ka).
知るか is used to express total indifference or a refusal to take responsibility for a situation or a piece of information. It can also mean 'Who knows?'
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
知るか is highly informal and can sound blunt, dismissive or even rude depending on the tone. For a slightly different sense of indifference, you might use どうでもいい to mean 'I don't care' or 'It doesn't matter' or the forceful 勝手にしろよ！ to mean 'Do whatever the hell you want!'
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding the particle よ (yo) to the end of 知るか increases the emphasis and the sense of irritation or defiance, making it 知るかよ, which translates to 'I don't give a damn' or 'Who cares!'
How do you pronounce it?
shiru ka
Did you know?
- In Japanese, 知る means 'to know', but 知るか functions as a negative. This means the speaker is using a positive verb to express a total lack of knowledge or care.
- In Japanese media, the bluntness of 知るか is often used to instantly establish a character as a 'rebel' or a 'tough guy' archetype. It is a linguistic shortcut for showing a character's lack of social conformity.
- While 知るか is a direct equivalent to 'idgaf', it is often paired with a specific physical gesture, such as a flick of the wrist or looking away, to amplify the dismissiveness.
Examples in context
- 勝手にしろよ！Do whatever the hell you want!
- どうでもいいI don't care / It doesn't matter
- あいつが何を言おうと、知るか。Aitsu ga nani o iou to, shiru ka.I don't care what that guy says.
- 結果がどうなろうと、知るか！Kekka ga dou narou to, shiru ka!I don't care what the result is!
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a rumor about a classmate.
- 蓮 Ren田中さんが怒ってるらしいよ。Tanaka-san ga okotteru rashii yo.I heard Tanaka-san is angry.
- 陽葵 Himariそんなの、知るか。Sonna no, shiru ka.I don't care about that.
- 蓮 Renそんなに冷たくても大丈夫？Sonna ni tsumetaku temo daijoubu?Are you okay being that cold?
- 陽葵 Himari全然大丈夫だよ。Zenzen daijoubu da yo.I'm totally fine.
