无所不知
无所不知 (wú suǒ bù zhī) literally means “nothing that is not known” and expresses “know everything; omniscient”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving wisdom and learning.
Also searched as: wu suo bu zhi, wu suo bu zhi,无所不知 meaning, 无所不知 in english
Know everything; omniscient
Pronunciation: wú suǒ bù zhī Literal meaning: Nothing that is not known
Origin & Usage
There is nothing (无所) that is not (不) known (知). The construction is a double negative and is stronger for it: instead of claiming all knowledge it denies the existence of any exception, which is a harder thing to assert and an easier one to puncture. That is why the phrase is so often lightly ironic. The colleague who has an answer for everything, while the straight sense — genuine, sage-like universality — now sounds archaic outside religious contexts.
Examples
English: "She seems to have knowledge about every subject."
Chinese: 她似乎无所不知。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about wisdom & learning
不知所措
bù zhī suǒ cuò
At a loss; not knowing what to do
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众所周知
zhòng suǒ zhōu zhī
As everyone knows or is widely recognized
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无所事事
wú suǒ shì shì
Have nothing to do; be idle
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所向无敌
suǒ xiàng wú dí
Be invincible; have no rivals
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各有所长
gè yǒu suǒ cháng
Different people, different strengths
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知足不辱
zhī zú bù rǔ
Be content avoid shame
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知行合一
zhī xíng hé yī
Practice what you know
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温故知新
wēn gù zhī xīn
Learn new through studying old
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 无所不知 mean in English?
无所不知 (wú suǒ bù zhī) literally translates to “Nothing that is not known” and is used to express “Know everything; omniscient”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Wisdom & Learning category.
When is 无所不知 used?
Situation: She seems to have knowledge about every subject.
What is the pinyin for 无所不知?
The pinyin pronunciation for 无所不知 is “wú suǒ bù zhī”.