What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 管好 (manage well), 你自己的 (your own) and 事 (matters/affairs).
Which one should you use?
While 管好你自己的事 tells someone to take care of their own matters, the phrase 别管闲事 is an informal way to tell someone not to meddle in other people's affairs. For a much sharper and more aggressive approach, you can use the rhetorical question 关你事吗？, which means "Is it any of your business?"
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The forms 管好你自己的事 and 别管闲事 are both informal. The rhetorical question 关你事吗？ is also informal and carries a sharper tone.
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding the particle 吧 to the end of the phrase, as in 管好你自己的事吧, can make the command sound slightly more like a blunt suggestion or a forceful command rather than a pure statement.
How do you pronounce it?
guǎn hǎo nǐ zìjǐ de shì
Did you know?
- Using 管好你自己的事 toward an elder or a superior is considered a severe breach of Confucian filial piety and is far more offensive than saying the same thing in English.
- In Chinese culture, the concept of 'minding one's business' contrasts with the traditional value of 人情 (human sentiment), where checking in on others' private affairs is often seen as a sign of care and intimacy.
- The term 闲事 (xiánshì), used in 别管闲事, literally means 'leisurely affairs', implying that the person meddling has too much free time on their hands.
Examples in context
- 管好你自己的事吧。Mind your own business!This sentence is useful for learning how to use the phrase 管好你自己的事 as a forceful command.Tatoeba #803834 by fucongcong, translation #16996 by CK
- 别管闲事啦，这是我的隐私！Don't meddle in other people's affairs, this is my privacy!
- 请管好你自己的事。Qǐng guǎnhǎo nǐ zìjǐ de shì.Please mind your own business.
- 你只要管好你自己的事就行了。Nǐ zhǐyào guǎnhǎo nǐ zìjǐ de shì jiù xíng le.You just need to mind your own business.
Example conversation
Haoran is asking Zihan about her personal secrets.
- 梓涵 Zihan你为什么不把事情告诉我？Nǐ wèishéme bù bǎ shìqíng gàosù wǒ?Why won't you tell me what happened?
- 浩然 Haoran这不是你的事，管好你自己的事。Zhè búshì nǐ de shì, guǎnhǎo nǐ zìjǐ de shì.It's none of your business, mind your own business.
- 梓涵 Zihan我只是想帮你而已。Wǒ zhǐshì xiǎng bāng nǐ éryǐ.I was just trying to help you.
- 浩然 Haoran我不需要你的帮助。Wǒ bù xūyào nǐ de bāngzhù.I don't need your help.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
