不知不觉
bù zhī bù jué
Unconscious realization · trad. 不知不覺
Describes actions or states that occur without one's conscious awareness or intention. It conveys a sense of something happening subtly or gradually, often surprising the person involved when they finally notice.
What does 不知不觉 (bù zhī bù jué) mean?
不知不觉 (bù zhī bù jué) means "unconscious realization" in English. Word for word, it breaks down as "not know not perceive."
Character by character
- 不 bù not
- 知 zhī know
- 不 bù not
- 觉 jué perceive, realize
When to use it
Commonly describes the passage of time, the development of habits, or changes in circumstances that happen so subtly one doesn't notice until later. It implies a lack of conscious attention rather than a deliberate act of ignoring.
Example
时间过得真快,不知不觉一年又过去了。
Shíjiān guò de zhēnkuài, bù zhī bù jué yìnián yòu guòqù le.
Time passes so quickly; before I knew it, another year had gone by.
Pro tip: Emphasizes the lack of conscious attention or realization during an ongoing process, not a state of being completely unconscious. It highlights that one simply didn't notice something occurring.
Related idioms
不打自招 · Involuntary confession不约而同 · Unplanned simultaneous action不知所措 · Feeling at a loss
Want to speak Chinese for real?
Start a free lesson with a native teacher →
Start a free lesson with a native teacher →