Analects 5.15 · Gongye Chang
“Be quick-minded and eager to learn, and never be ashamed to ask those of lower standing.”
Meaning, context, and how to apply it today
敏而好學 不恥下問 (mǐn ér hào xué, bù chǐ xià wèn) means “Be quick-minded and eager to learn, and never be ashamed to ask those of lower standing.” It is a passage from the Analects of Confucius, Book 5 (Gongye Chang), Chapter 15.
敏而好學 不恥下問
- Pinyin
- mǐn ér hào xué, bù chǐ xià wèn
- Translation
- Be quick-minded and eager to learn, and never be ashamed to ask those of lower standing.
- Source
- Analects, Book 5 (Gongye Chang), Chapter 15
What does this passage mean?
This passage from Gongye Chang is Confucius’s assessment of Kong Wenzi, a high official of Wei. Quickness means intellectual agility, while not being ashamed to ask below means seeking knowledge even from someone of lower rank. When asked why Kong Wenzi received the posthumous title “Cultured,” Confucius cited these two virtues. He especially valued the humility to keep learning despite high status.
How can we apply it today?
As experience and rank increase, asking a junior person can become harder. Pride or fear of appearing incompetent keeps us silent, but real incompetence is pretending to know what we do not. The best leaders possess the humility to learn even from a new employee. Asking below is not merely an expression of modesty; it is an expression of wisdom.
Questions to reflect on
- ·Are you comfortable asking someone with less experience or lower rank?
- ·Have you hidden something you did not know?
- ·Are you maintaining the humility to learn?
Character-by-character breakdown
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Radical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 敏 | mǐn | quick | 11 | 攴 (tap) |
| 而 | ér | and; but | 6 | 而 (and) |
| 好 | hào | delight in | 6 | 女 (woman) |
| 學 | xué | learn | 16 | 子 (child) |
| 不 | bù | not | 4 | 一 (one) |
| 恥 | chǐ | shameful | 10 | 心 (heart) |
| 下 | xià | below | 3 | 一 (one) |
| 問 | wèn | ask | 11 | 口 (mouth) |
Frequently asked questions
Q. What does “Be quick-minded and eager to learn, and…” mean?
敏而好學 不恥下問 (mǐn ér hào xué, bù chǐ xià wèn) means “Be quick-minded and eager to learn, and never be ashamed to ask those of lower standing.” It comes from the Analects, Book 5 (Gongye Chang), Chapter 15.
Q. Where does this passage appear in the Analects?
It is Analects 5.15: Book 5 (Gongye Chang), Chapter 15.
Q. How can this teaching be applied today?
As experience and rank increase, asking a junior person can become harder.Pride or fear of appearing incompetent keeps us silent, but real incompetence is pretending to know what we do not.