知道
to know
zhīdào
What does 知道 mean?
知道 (zhīdào) is the everyday verb 'to know' — to know a fact, a piece of information, or that something is the case. The crucial thing for English speakers is that Chinese splits the English word 'know' into two verbs: 知道 (to know information / facts) and 认识 (rènshi, to know / be acquainted with a person, place, or character). 我知道他 means 'I know about him / I know he exists'; 我认识他 means 'I know him personally.'
The negative 不知道 ('I don't know') is one of the most useful sentences for any beginner. Polite softeners often pair with 知道: 我不知道 + 啊/呀 ('oh, I don't know') sounds friendlier than the bare form. To ask 'do you know?'
Note: Universal everyday verb. The second syllable 道 is often pronounced as a neutral tone (zhīdao) in fast speech, though dictionaries may write zhīdào.
Character breakdown
to know; knowledge
way; path; the Way (Dao)
Memory hook: 知 ('know') + 道 ('the way') = 'know the way' — to know how things are.
Example sentences
我知道他是中国人。
Wǒ zhīdào tā shì Zhōngguó rén.
I know he's Chinese.
neutral
对不起，我不知道。
Duìbuqǐ, wǒ bù zhīdào.
Sorry, I don't know.
spoken
你知道他在哪儿吗？
Nǐ zhīdào tā zài nǎr ma?
Do you know where he is?
spoken
知道了，谢谢。
Zhīdào le, xièxie.
Got it, thanks.
spoken
妈妈知道我喜欢吃苹果。
Māma zhīdào wǒ xǐhuan chī píngguǒ.
Mom knows I like eating apples.
neutral
Common phrases with 知道
Hear it in real Fluentide episodes
知道 appears in 8 podcast episodes at natural native speed, with full Chinese script, pinyin, and line-by-line English translation.
Synonyms
认识 means 'to know / be acquainted with' a person, place, or written character. 我认识他 = 'I've met him.' 我知道他 = 'I know of him.' Don't say 我知道李明 if you've actually met Li Ming — say 我认识李明.