所谓 / 所谓的【suǒwèi / suǒwèi de】

所谓 picks out a term so the sentence can say what it means. In a definition it opens the sentence, the term follows, and the explanation comes after a comma with 就是 or 是指.

The term often goes in quotation marks. In this use 所谓 usually stands without 的.

所谓的: doubting the label

With 的, in the middle of a sentence, 所谓 says the writer doesn't accept the name. It does the work of English "so-called" or scare quotes.

The rest of the sentence decides which reading applies. If it goes on to define the term, 所谓 is neutral; if it goes on to contradict it, 所谓 is sceptical. 这就是所谓的… "this is what's called…" stays neutral.

Mistakes

The term comes straight after 所谓, and 所谓 is never a verb meaning "to call".

• × 所谓他是专家 → 他是所谓的专家
• × 我们所谓这种现象“代沟” → 我们把这种现象叫做“代沟”

无所谓 is a separate word, "it doesn't matter" or "I don't mind", with nothing to define.