Analects 9.8 · Zi Han
“Do I possess knowledge? I possess none. When an ordinary person asks me a question, I approach it with an empty mind, examine both ends of the matter, and draw everything out.”
Meaning, context, and how to apply it today
吾有知乎哉 無知也 有鄙夫問於我 空空如也 我叩其兩端而竭焉 (wú yǒu zhī hū zāi, wú zhī yě, yǒu bǐ fū wèn yú wǒ, kōng kōng rú yě, wǒ kòu qí liǎng duān ér jié yān) means “Do I possess knowledge? I possess none. When an ordinary person asks me a question, I approach it with an empty mind, examine both ends of the matter, and draw everything out.” It is a passage from the Analects of Confucius, Book 9 (Zi Han), Chapter 8.
吾有知乎哉 無知也 有鄙夫問於我 空空如也 我叩其兩端而竭焉
- Pinyin
- wú yǒu zhī hū zāi, wú zhī yě, yǒu bǐ fū wèn yú wǒ, kōng kōng rú yě, wǒ kòu qí liǎng duān ér jié yān
- Translation
- Do I possess knowledge? I possess none. When an ordinary person asks me a question, I approach it with an empty mind, examine both ends of the matter, and draw everything out.
- Source
- Analects, Book 9 (Zi Han), Chapter 8
What does this passage mean?
In this passage from the Zi Han chapter, Confucius displays extreme humility about his own knowledge. 空空如也 means being as though entirely empty—meeting a question with an open mind free of preconceptions. 叩其兩端 means tapping both ends, or examining both sides of a problem. Rather than bringing a predetermined answer, Confucius explored every side of the issue together with the questioner and used that process to draw out an answer.
How can we apply it today?
A good counselor or coach does not simply hand over an answer, but uses sound questions to help another person discover the answer independently. Confucius's method of 'tapping both ends' can be seen as an early form of modern coaching and Socratic dialogue. Listening to another person with an empty mind and exploring diverse perspectives together without prejudice are the essence of genuine communication and wise conversation.
Questions to reflect on
- ·Do I enter conversations with an answer already fixed in my mind?
- ·Can I listen to another person with an empty, open mind?
- ·Do I habitually examine problems from multiple angles?
Character-by-character breakdown
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Radical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 吾 | wú | I; me | 7 | 口 (mouth) |
| 有 | yǒu | exist | 6 | 月 (moon) |
| 知 | zhī | know | 8 | 矢 (arrow) |
| 乎 | hū | grammatical particle | 5 | 丿 (slash) |
| 哉 | zāi | grammatical particle | 9 | 口 (mouth) |
| 無 | wú | lack | 12 | 火 (fire) |
| 知 | zhī | know | 8 | 矢 (arrow) |
| 也 | yě | grammatical particle | 3 | 乙 (second) |
| 有 | yǒu | exist | 6 | 月 (moon) |
| 鄙 | bǐ | base | 13 | 邑 (city) |
| 夫 | fū | husband | 4 | 大 (big) |
| 問 | wèn | ask | 11 | 口 (mouth) |
| 於 | yú | at; in | 8 | 方 (square) |
| 我 | wǒ | I; me | 7 | 戈 (halberd) |
| 空 | kōng | empty | 8 | 穴 (cave) |
| 空 | kōng | empty | 8 | 穴 (cave) |
| 如 | rú | same; like | 6 | 女 (woman) |
| 也 | yě | grammatical particle | 3 | 乙 (second) |
| 我 | wǒ | I; me | 7 | 戈 (halberd) |
| 叩 | kòu | knock | 5 | 口 (mouth) |
| 其 | qí | that; he | 8 | 八 (eight) |
| 兩 | liǎng | two | 8 | 入 (enter) |
| 端 | duān | end | 14 | 立 (stand) |
| 而 | ér | and; but | 6 | 而 (and) |
| 竭 | jié | exhaust | 14 | 立 (stand) |
| 焉 | yān | grammatical particle | 11 | 火 (fire) |
Frequently asked questions
Q. What does “Do I possess knowledge? I possess none…” mean?
吾有知乎哉 無知也 有鄙夫問於我 空空如也 我叩其兩端而竭焉 (wú yǒu zhī hū zāi, wú zhī yě, yǒu bǐ fū wèn yú wǒ, kōng kōng rú yě, wǒ kòu qí liǎng duān ér jié yān) means “Do I possess knowledge? I possess none. When an ordinary person asks me a question, I approach it with an empty mind, examine both ends of the matter, and draw everything out.” It comes from the Analects, Book 9 (Zi Han), Chapter 8.
Q. Where does this passage appear in the Analects?
It is Analects 9.8: Book 9 (Zi Han), Chapter 8.
Q. How can this teaching be applied today?
A good counselor or coach does not simply hand over an answer, but uses sound questions to help another person discover the answer independently.