I'm not being funny, but…
Informal Depends on context
What it really means
Despite the words, something critical or complaining is coming. "Funny" here means rude or strange, not humorous. Common before complaints about neighbours, queues or noise.
Chinese explanation
虽然字面说"不是开玩笑"，接下来往往就是批评或抱怨。这里的 funny 指失礼或奇怪，不是好笑。抱怨邻居、插队、噪音前常用。
Example conversation
A: I'm not being funny, but your music was quite loud last night.
B: Sorry! I'll keep it down.
A：我不是想找茬啊，但你昨晚的音乐声真的挺大。
B：抱歉！我会调小声的。
All Politeness Decoder
Reviewed by the UK Decoded editorial team
· Last checked 24 July 2026 · Report a mistake