Analects 19.5 · Zi Zhang
“Learn each day what you did not know, and each month do not forget what you have mastered; then you may be called a lover of learning.”
Meaning, context, and how to apply it today
日知其所亡 月無忘其所能 可謂好學也已矣 (rì zhī qí suǒ wú, yuè wú wàng qí suǒ néng, kě wèi hào xué yě yǐ yǐ) means “Learn each day what you did not know, and each month do not forget what you have mastered; then you may be called a lover of learning.” It is a passage from the Analects of Confucius, Book 19 (Zi Zhang), Chapter 5.
日知其所亡 月無忘其所能 可謂好學也已矣
- Pinyin
- rì zhī qí suǒ wú, yuè wú wàng qí suǒ néng, kě wèi hào xué yě yǐ yǐ
- Translation
- Learn each day what you did not know, and each month do not forget what you have mastered; then you may be called a lover of learning.
- Source
- Analects, Book 19 (Zi Zhang), Chapter 5
What does this passage mean?
In the Zi Zhang chapter, Zixia defines what it truly means to love learning. 日知其所亡 means learning every day what one did not know, and 月無忘其所能 means not forgetting from month to month what one is already capable of. 亡 means not possessing or not knowing, and 能 means being able. Loving learning means doing both at once: acquiring the new without losing what one already knows.
How can we apply it today?
Learning moves in two directions: acquiring something new and preserving what has already been learned. Letting one's first language deteriorate while learning a foreign language, or neglecting established expertise while mastering a new technology, is only half of growth. Fill a little of what you do not know each day, while reviewing what you already can do so that it is not forgotten. This balanced learning produces genuine growth.
Questions to reflect on
- ·What did I learn today?
- ·Have I forgotten anything I once did well?
- ·Am I balancing growth in learning with preservation of what I already know?
Character-by-character breakdown
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Radical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 日 | rì | day | 4 | 日 (sun) |
| 知 | zhī | know | 8 | 矢 (arrow) |
| 其 | qí | that; he | 8 | 八 (eight) |
| 所 | suǒ | that which | 8 | 戶 (door) |
| 亡 | wú | lack; not possess | 3 | 亠 (lid) |
| 月 | yuè | moon | 4 | 月 (moon) |
| 無 | wú | lack | 12 | 火 (fire) |
| 忘 | wàng | forget | 7 | 心 (heart) |
| 其 | qí | that; he | 8 | 八 (eight) |
| 所 | suǒ | that which | 8 | 戶 (door) |
| 能 | néng | capable | 10 | 肉 (meat) |
| 可 | kě | right | 5 | 口 (mouth) |
| 謂 | wèi | say; call | 16 | 言 (speech) |
| 好 | hào | delight in | 6 | 女 (woman) |
| 學 | xué | learn | 16 | 子 (child) |
| 也 | yě | grammatical particle | 3 | 乙 (second) |
| 已 | yǐ | already | 3 | 己 (self) |
| 矣 | yǐ | grammatical particle | 7 | 矢 (arrow) |
Frequently asked questions
Q. What does “Learn each day what you did not know, and…” mean?
日知其所亡 月無忘其所能 可謂好學也已矣 (rì zhī qí suǒ wú, yuè wú wàng qí suǒ néng, kě wèi hào xué yě yǐ yǐ) means “Learn each day what you did not know, and each month do not forget what you have mastered; then you may be called a lover of learning.” It comes from the Analects, Book 19 (Zi Zhang), Chapter 5.
Q. Where does this passage appear in the Analects?
It is Analects 19.5: Book 19 (Zi Zhang), Chapter 5.
Q. How can this teaching be applied today?
Learning moves in two directions: acquiring something new and preserving what has already been learned.