Meanings
present singular third person knows beans about · participle present knowing beans about · past knew beans about · participle past known beans about
- USTo know something, even if only a little, about.
If wealth managers actually knew beans about anything, they would be in asset management.
2008 July 14, Charles Paikert, “Ken Fisher”, in InvestmentNews, retrieved 22 Sep 20092 more examples
But the great artist doesn't know "beans" about driving oxen. He has put his driver on the "off" side of the yoke.
1881 February 7, “Notes of the Fine Arts”, in New York Times, retrieved 22 Sep 2009, page 3If this self-styled expert in the field of human relations knew beans about handling people he'd get more work out of the women and fewer tears.
1963 March 12, “Dear Ann Landers”, in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, retrieved 22 Sep 2009, page 17 - USidiomaticTo know nothing, or almost nothing, about.
His primary opponent, Raphael Herman, is a real estate salesman who frankly admits he knows beans about insurance.
1986 August 22, “Editorial: The Cabinet Races”, in Gainesville Sun, retrieved 22 Sep 2009, page 18A
Translations
Chinese Cantonese 識條春 /识条春, 識條毛 /识条毛
- 識條春 /识条春to know nothing, or almost nothing, about
- 識條毛 /识条毛to know nothing, or almost nothing, about
Chinese Mandarin 懂个屁
- 懂个屁to know nothing, or almost nothing, about
Portuguese saber chongas sobre, entender bulhufas de
- saber chongas sobreto know nothing, or almost nothing, about
- entender bulhufas deto know nothing, or almost nothing, about
Spanish no saber de la misa la media, estar pez
- no saber de la misa la mediato know nothing, or almost nothing, about
- estar pezto know nothing, or almost nothing, about
Cite this entry
know beans about. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/know%20beans%20about
“know beans about.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/know%20beans%20about. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “know beans about,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/know%20beans%20about.
Source: know beans about on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.