APAD: Your guess is as good as mine

"Your guess is as good as mine" is an idiom meaning "I don't know either," used to show you have no more information or insight than the other person when asked a question about something uncertain, highlighting mutual lack of knowledge. It's a way of saying you're equally clueless, often used when something is unpredictable, like when a delivery will arrive or if it will rain. 

It is used when someone asks a question you can't answer, implying they likely can't either.

This idiom emerged in early 20th-century America, reflecting shared ignorance and uncertainty, with an early printed example appearing in a 1939 novel, *Waste Heritage* by Irene Baird.

While the exact moment is unknown, it grew out of casual language to describe situations of shared uncertainty, becoming popular in the US in the 1900s.

Example: If asked why the boss is upset, you might reply, "Your guess is as good as mine; I haven't heard anything". 

 

 

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Right, clueless hands shake clueless hands & stop guessing~~ -最西边的岛上- 给 最西边的岛上 发送悄悄话 最西边的岛上 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 01/09/2026 postreply 05:38:21

我觉得这个成语还有点不耐烦的意味 -移花接木- 给 移花接木 发送悄悄话 移花接木 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 01/09/2026 postreply 06:47:00

maybe. I always use it to be polite. 如果我不耐烦的话,会说:Dunno :-) -最西边的岛上- 给 最西边的岛上 发送悄悄话 最西边的岛上 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 01/09/2026 postreply 06:53:44

我真不耐烦了,不会也不愿多说一个字, no matter to who ~~ -最西边的岛上- 给 最西边的岛上 发送悄悄话 最西边的岛上 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 01/09/2026 postreply 06:56:05

有人爱说反话,有一次过马路有个右转弯的司机没让路人,有人大喊一声thank you -移花接木- 给 移花接木 发送悄悄话 移花接木 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 01/09/2026 postreply 07:01:10

:-)好客气哈 :-)I'd scream automatically:啊啊... !!! (happened b4) -最西边的岛上- 给 最西边的岛上 发送悄悄话 最西边的岛上 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 01/09/2026 postreply 07:11:12

真事儿:一次我被一辆转右弯儿的车撞了腿,我还没开口责备,那个女学生司机就开始哭了。我晃了晃腿还能动,只好说以后注意 -最西边的岛上- 给 最西边的岛上 发送悄悄话 最西边的岛上 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 01/09/2026 postreply 07:36:24

& let her go (didn't get license number nor her insurance) -最西边的岛上- 给 最西边的岛上 发送悄悄话 最西边的岛上 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 01/09/2026 postreply 07:47:03

这不叫客气,翻译成中国话类似,问候谁家八辈祖宗 -移花接木- 给 移花接木 发送悄悄话 移花接木 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 01/09/2026 postreply 08:31:12

Oh, silly me, might have reading comprehension problem :-( -最西边的岛上- 给 最西边的岛上 发送悄悄话 最西边的岛上 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 01/09/2026 postreply 08:46:21

这个好。可以在办公室立刻用起来。面对老板,要有勇气大声说 -JoyAnna.- 给 JoyAnna. 发送悄悄话 JoyAnna. 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 01/09/2026 postreply 06:25:27

Your guess is as good as mine. I just work here. -JoyAnna.- 给 JoyAnna. 发送悄悄话 JoyAnna. 的博客首页 (54 bytes) () 01/09/2026 postreply 06:28:30

i just work here 是否对应, not my business -移花接木- 给 移花接木 发送悄悄话 移花接木 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 01/09/2026 postreply 06:44:56

前者语气温柔一些,直接说后者,估计挂得更快吧 LOL -JoyAnna.- 给 JoyAnna. 发送悄悄话 JoyAnna. 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 01/09/2026 postreply 07:16:09

记起一个北电时的同事,她把没complied代码给别人做integration。别人不好意思开口,让小老板去说 -最西边的岛上- 给 最西边的岛上 发送悄悄话 最西边的岛上 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 01/09/2026 postreply 07:22:28

她生气了,对(也是女士的)小老板说: get lost。那时高科技兴旺难招人,小老板真滴 got lost,没有任何处罚 -最西边的岛上- 给 最西边的岛上 发送悄悄话 最西边的岛上 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 01/09/2026 postreply 07:24:38

Poor boss ~~ -JoyAnna.- 给 JoyAnna. 发送悄悄话 JoyAnna. 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 01/09/2026 postreply 07:35:20

and mine's as bad as yours. -7grizzly- 给 7grizzly 发送悄悄话 7grizzly 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 01/09/2026 postreply 18:46:07

U words remind me of Humphrey Bogart 4 some reason:-) Clever -最西边的岛上- 给 最西边的岛上 发送悄悄话 最西边的岛上 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 01/10/2026 postreply 03:21:45

& 2 the point. Also like Lauren Bacall, they were good match -最西边的岛上- 给 最西边的岛上 发送悄悄话 最西边的岛上 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 01/10/2026 postreply 03:26:28

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