Б-33

НИ БЕ НИ ME (НИ КУКАРЕКУ) highly coll these forms only fixed WO

1. \Б-33 (в чём) ( usu. predic with subj: human one knows, understands etc nothing (about sth. ): X (в Y-e) ни бе ни ме = X doesn't know (understand) a thing (the first thing) about Y

X doesn't know beans (squat) about Y (in refer, to one's command of a foreign language, technical jargon etc) X doesn't know

understand) a word of Y

(in refer, to a foreign language only) X can't say two words in (speak a word of) Y.

"И как это таких людей за границу посылают, когда они ни бе ни ме ни по-каковски?» (Трифонов 4). "And how is it they send such (people) abroad when they can't say two words in any other language?" (4a).

2. (predic (with subj: human or obj) one says nothing, keeps silent

X (не говорит) ни бе ни ме - X doesn't say boo

X doesn't let out a peep X doesn't utter a sound.