if you know, you know

English

Pronunciation

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

Phrase

if you know, you know

1. (informal, humorous) Used to signify a reference or allusion to something that is only understood by certain groups of people.
   • 2023 January 5, “Forget the luxury fleece”, in Financial Times‎^[1]:

     “They’re very if you know, you know,” says Sam Millen-Cramer, a 28-year-old marketing specialist, who wears his £15 Mountain Warehouse zip-up with baggy pants from Margaret Howell […]

   • 2024 March 5, Gabriella Paiella, quoting Messineo, “Why ‘Anatomy of a Fall’ Became One of the Most Memed Films of the Year”, in GQ‎^[2]:

     “ […] Anatomy of a Fall doesn’t fit into any of those categories,” Messineo, the YouTuber who made the dancing video to Hüller’s monologue, told me. Instead, he suggested, it has “if you know you know” appeal.

Derived terms

• IYKYK (initialism)

Translations

Translations

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 懂的都懂

• Portuguese: entendedores entenderão (pt) (informal, humorous)