Analects 2.17 · Wei Zheng
“To acknowledge what you know as known, and what you do not know as unknown—that is wisdom.”
Meaning, context, and how to apply it today
知之爲知之 不知爲不知 是知也 (zhī zhī wéi zhī zhī, bù zhī wéi bù zhī, shì zhì yě) means “To acknowledge what you know as known, and what you do not know as unknown—that is wisdom.” It is a passage from the Analects of Confucius, Book 2 (Wei Zheng), Chapter 17.
知之爲知之 不知爲不知 是知也
- Pinyin
- zhī zhī wéi zhī zhī, bù zhī wéi bù zhī, shì zhì yě
- Translation
- To acknowledge what you know as known, and what you do not know as unknown—that is wisdom.
- Source
- Analects, Book 2 (Wei Zheng), Chapter 17
What does this passage mean?
Confucius addressed these words to his disciple Zilu. The final occurrence of knowing is closely related to the character for wisdom and means genuine understanding. Zilu was brave and direct, but he sometimes tended to act as though he knew things he did not. Correcting him, Confucius taught that recognizing one’s ignorance is the true beginning of wisdom. The insight resonates with Socrates’s injunction to know oneself.
How can we apply it today?
Under pressure to appear expert, saying “I do not know” requires courage. Pretending to know, however, eventually causes a larger failure. Even in Silicon Valley, leaders who can say “I do not know” earn greater trust. The moment we acknowledge what we do not know, we create room to learn. The most dangerous ignorance is ignorance that does not even recognize itself.
Questions to reflect on
- ·When did you last honestly say that you did not know?
- ·In what situations are you tempted to pretend that you know?
- ·Why does admitting your ignorance feel difficult?
Character-by-character breakdown
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Radical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 知 | zhī | know | 8 | 矢 (arrow) |
| 之 | zhī | go; possessive particle | 4 | 丿 (slash) |
| 爲 | wéi | do | 12 | 爪 (claw) |
| 知 | zhī | know | 8 | 矢 (arrow) |
| 之 | zhī | go; possessive particle | 4 | 丿 (slash) |
| 不 | bù | not | 4 | 一 (one) |
| 知 | zhī | know | 8 | 矢 (arrow) |
| 爲 | wéi | do | 12 | 爪 (claw) |
| 不 | bù | not | 4 | 一 (one) |
| 知 | zhī | know | 8 | 矢 (arrow) |
| 是 | shì | this | 9 | 日 (sun) |
| 知 | zhì | knowledge | 8 | 矢 (arrow) |
| 也 | yě | grammatical particle | 3 | 乙 (second) |
Frequently asked questions
Q. What does “To acknowledge what you know as known, and…” mean?
知之爲知之 不知爲不知 是知也 (zhī zhī wéi zhī zhī, bù zhī wéi bù zhī, shì zhì yě) means “To acknowledge what you know as known, and what you do not know as unknown—that is wisdom.” It comes from the Analects, Book 2 (Wei Zheng), Chapter 17.
Q. Where does this passage appear in the Analects?
It is Analects 2.17: Book 2 (Wei Zheng), Chapter 17.
Q. How can this teaching be applied today?
Under pressure to appear expert, saying “I do not know” requires courage.Pretending to know, however, eventually causes a larger failure.