Meaning:

    The sentence translates literally into “repeat important things three times.” It’s used on the Internet at the end of online posts to show something is important, although it is also a bit tongue-in-cheek.

    The sentence became popular in June, but its exact origin is a mystery. Many netizens first read this sentence in an online post promoting a TV drama called “The Lost Tomb.” Some say the saying came from a Japanese manga where a lead character tells her friends that repeating good things three times will make them happen.

    Example:

    A:还记得《三体》里面三体星人给叶文洁发来的回复吗？

    Hái jìdé 《sāntǐ》lǐmiàn sāntǐxīngrén gěi yèwénjié fālái de huífù ma？

    Do you still remember the reply sent to Ye Wenji from a three-body man in “The Three-Body Problem?”

    B: 记得，好像是“不要回答、不要回答、不要回答”。

    Jìdé，hǎoxiàng shì “búyào huídá、búyào huídá、búyào huídá”。

    Yeah, something like “don’t reply, don’t reply, don’t reply.”

    A: 哈哈，是啊。我最近看网上的评论说，连外星人也知道重要的事情说三遍。

    Hāhā，shì ā。Wǒ zuìjìn kàn wǎngshàng de pínglùn shuō，lián wàixīngrén yě zhīdào zhòngyào de shìqíng shuō sānbiàn。

    Haha, yep. The online comments said even aliens know important things should be repeated three times.