What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 不 (not), 关 (relate to/concern), 你的 (your) and 事 (matter/affair).
Which one should you use?
While 不关你的事 is a direct way to say "none of your business", you can use 这与你无关 (zhè yǔ nǐ wúguān) to express that something does not concern someone in a more formal and polite way.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
不关你的事 is an informal phrase that is blunt and can be perceived as rude or aggressive depending on your tone of voice. For more formal situations, you can use 请不要过问 (Please do not meddle) or 这是私事 (This is a private matter). In informal settings, you might also hear 关你什么事 (It's none of your business) or 别管闲事 (Mind your own business).
How does it change in a sentence?
To change the subject of the phrase, you can replace 你的 (your) with other possessives, such as 我的 (my) to say "it's none of my business", though this is less common in natural speech than using 与我无关.
How do you pronounce it?
bù guān nǐ de shì
Did you know?
- In Chinese culture, telling someone 'it is not your business' is much more of a 'face-losing' event than in English, often signaling a total breakdown in social harmony.
- The word 关 in 不关你的事 originally meant a 'mountain pass' or 'gate'. In this context, it evolved to mean the 'closing' or 'opening' of a connection between two things.
- While the English phrase 'none of your business' can be used jokingly among friends, using 不关你的事 in Chinese is almost always perceived as a genuine confrontation.
Examples in context
- 无论如何，都不关你的事。In any case, it's none of your business.This sentence is useful for emphasizing that something is not the listener's business regardless of the circumstances.Tatoeba #392268 by GlossaMatik, translation #36982 by CM
- 这不关你的事。That's none of your business.This sentence is useful for stating that a specific thing is none of the listener's business.Tatoeba #1327882 by vicch, translation #514940 by Swift
- 我买什么，都不关你的事。Wǒ mǎi shénme, dōu bù guān nǐ de shì.What I buy is none of your business.
Example conversation
Two colleagues are arguing about a private matter in the office.
- 伟 Wei你为什么要问我的工资？Nǐ wèishéme yào wèn wǒ de gōngzī?Why are you asking about my salary?
- 雨婷 Yuting我只是好奇而已。Wǒ zhǐshì hàoqí éryǐ.I'm just curious.
- 伟 Wei这不关你的事。Zhè bù guān nǐ de shì.It's none of your business.
- 雨婷 Yuting好吧，我不问了。Hǎo ba, wǒ bù wèn le.Okay, I won't ask anymore.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
