如果我们知道我们在做什么,那么这不能称之为研究,是吗?

If we knew what we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

Source: Tatoeba

Sentence Composition

1 如果 guǒ
  1. if
  2. in case
  3. in the event that
2 我们 men we; us; ourselves; our
3 知道 zhīdào
  1. to know; to become aware of
  2. also pr. zhīdao
4 我们 men we; us; ourselves; our
5 zài
  1. to exist; to be alive
  2. (of sb or sth) to be (located) at
  3. (used before a verb to indicate an action in progress)
6 做什么 zuòshénme
  1. (dialectal) why; what for
  2. what to do
  3. why; what for
=7 那么 me
  1. like that; in that way; to that extent
  2. (before a number) ... or so; about ...
  3. then; in that case
=7 那么 me variant of 那麼 me
=8 这不 zhèbu (coll.) As a matter of fact, ... (used to introduce evidence for what one has just asserted)
=8 这不 zhè connects two clauses, emphasising how the following clause substantiates the preceding clause
=9 Néng surname Neng
=9 néng
  1. can
  2. to be able to
  3. might possibly
  4. ability
  5. (physics) energy
=9 nài
  1. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) alternative form of (“to bear; to withstand”)
  2. a surname
  3. alternative form of (“to bear; to withstand”)
=9 tái
  1. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) alternative form of (“name of a Chinese constellation”)
  2. alternative form of (“name of a Chinese constellation”)
=9 tài
  1. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) alternative form of / (tài, “bearing; apparition; form; shape; status; position”)
  2. alternative form of / (tài, “bearing; apparition; form; shape; status; position”)
=9 nái
  1. (obsolete) mythical three-legged soft-shelled turtle
  2. mythical three-legged soft-shelled turtle
=9 tāi
  1. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) only used in 能始 (tāishǐ, “origin; root cause”)
  2. only used in 能始 (tāishǐ, “origin; root cause”)
=9 xióng
  1. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) alternative form of (xióng, “bear”)
  2. alternative form of (xióng, “bear”)
10 称之为 chēngzhīwéi
  1. to call it...
  2. known as...
11 研究 yánjiū
  1. research
  2. a study
  3. to research
  4. to look into

classifier:

=12 shì
  1. to be (followed by substantives only)
  2. correct; right; true
  3. (respectful acknowledgement of a command) very well
  4. (adverb for emphatic assertion)
=12 shì variant of shì
=13 (coll.) what?
=13 used in 嗎啡 fēi
=13 ma (question particle for "yes-no" questions)