# 知りません vs 分かりません

**URL:** https://community.wanikani.com/t/%E7%9F%A5%E3%82%8A%E3%81%BE%E3%81%9B%E3%82%93-vs-%E5%88%86%E3%81%8B%E3%82%8A%E3%81%BE%E3%81%9B%E3%82%93/18770
**Category:** Questions
**Created:** [July 5, 2017, 8:10am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/%E7%9F%A5%E3%82%8A%E3%81%BE%E3%81%9B%E3%82%93-vs-%E5%88%86%E3%81%8B%E3%82%8A%E3%81%BE%E3%81%9B%E3%82%93/18770 "2017-07-05T08:10:59Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
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### Author: ![Caracal](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/caracal/32/174196_2.png) [@Caracal](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Caracal)
#### Post date: [July 5, 2017, 8:25am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/%E7%9F%A5%E3%82%8A%E3%81%BE%E3%81%9B%E3%82%93-vs-%E5%88%86%E3%81%8B%E3%82%8A%E3%81%BE%E3%81%9B%E3%82%93/18770/3 "2017-07-05T08:25:34Z")

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From a little research I did earlier for a question about [分かる vs 理解する](https://community.wanikani.com/t/Help-me-understand-the-understands/18756/9), it seems like 知りません means “I don’t know” specifically, while 分かりません can also mean “I don’t know,” but has various other meanings/usages as well.

Umm…though I don’t have much IRL Japanese experience…just lots and lots of anime mostly. From which I can also say, I can definitely see how 知りません seems colder somehow…like it’s more final/definite–“I don’t know,” whereas maybe 分かりません is closer to, “I’m not aware of it.”

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