咱也不知道，咱也不敢问zán yě bù zhī dào, zán yě bù gǎn wèn

Don’t know, don’t dare ask

zán yě bù zhī dào, zán yě bù gǎn wèn.咱也不知道，咱也不敢问。Don’t know, don’t dare ask.

咱也不知道，咱也不敢问 means “I don’t know, and I don’t dare ask”. You say it about something strange that you cannot explain and would rather not look into.

Took off: 2019
Started in: Douyin comments
Today: Now everyday Chinese

What it means

咱 is a northern word for “we” or “I”. It makes the line sound folksy, like a shrug from a neighbor.

The joke is the mock fear in the second half: the thing is so odd, or so far above you, that even asking feels risky. It also works as a tease. Say it about a friend’s strange choice, and you make fun of it without a fight.

How people use it

It is less fresh than in 2019, but still common in comments and chats. Each half also works alone: 咱也不敢问 means “I wouldn’t dare ask”.

灯灯和朋友们 (3)

亮亮
楼下那家店为什么半夜十二点才开门？
lóu xià nà jiā diàn wèi shén me bàn yè shí èr diǎn cái kāi mén?
Why does that shop downstairs only open at midnight?
灯灯
卖什么的？
mài shén me de?
What does it sell?
亮亮
只卖煎饼
zhǐ mài jiān bing
Just jianbing.
咱也不知道，咱也不敢问
zán yě bù zhī dào, zán yě bù gǎn wèn
Don’t know, don’t dare ask.

More examples

他为什么天天穿同一件衣服？咱也不知道，咱也不敢问。
tā wèi shén me tiān tiān chuān tóng yí jiàn yī fu? zán yě bù zhī dào, zán yě bù gǎn wèn.
Why does he wear the same shirt every day? Don’t know, don’t dare ask.
老板今天心情特别好，咱也不知道，咱也不敢问。
lǎo bǎn jīn tiān xīn qíng tè bié hǎo, zán yě bù zhī dào, zán yě bù gǎn wèn.
The boss is in a great mood today. No idea why, and I won’t ask.

Where it came from

Nobody has found the first use. The Paper says some people believe it began in Douyin comments, as a reply to an odd video, and then spread.

In December 2019 the Shanghai paper 语言文字周报 put it seventh on its list of the ten internet phrases of the year. Beijing Youth Daily described its mood as helpless and teasing.