Confucius was an ancient Chinese thinker, statesman, educator, and founder of Confucianism with profound insights into politics, economics, life, love, education, and learning.
In modern times, Confucius’s concepts of education and learning have greatly impacted the world.
Many countries have established Confucius Institutes to introduce the wisdom of Confucius into their modern education systems to cultivate people with high humanistic literacy and ethical values.
Confucius’s View of Learning
Confucius began his life as a learner and became successful through learning, and he continued to write books and teach in his later years. Through his long-term practice of learning and teaching, he summarized and put forward a series of propositions on learning.
Firstly, Confucius believed that learners should maintain an attitude of joyful learning and focus on a pleasurable learning experience.
At the opening of The Analects of Confucius, it is said “Is it not a delight, said the Master, to acquire knowledge and put it into practice?” It shows that Confucius was highly concerned about inner pleasure and saw learning as a joyful and immensely pleasurable thing.
Secondly, in learning, one should aspire to, adhere to, and devote oneself to promoting the Way (the wisdom of life).
For Confucius, the process of learning is also the process of committing oneself to seeking the Way.
In addition, Confucius emphasized that a gentleman’s fondness for learning is manifested not only in his tireless attitude to learning but also in his perseverance in achieving his goals.
Finally, Confucius believed that the ultimate goal of learning was to learn for use. He stressed the importance of practice.
In The Analects of Confucius, it is said, “A cultured man, said the Master, may be slow in word but prompt in deed.”
For Confucius, only when one’s actions are manifested in one’s knowledge and one’s actions reflect one’s knowledge will one achieve the ideal state of learning.
In short, Confucius’s ideas about learning provided many correct concepts and methods of learning for that time and later generations.
18 Quotes of Confucius on Learning
Many quotes of Confucius reflect his unique insights into learning as well as expressions of his attitude towards learning.
For him, learning is not just about accumulating knowledge, but an attitude to life and a way of improving oneself.
Here are 18 quotes from Confucius about learning:
1. 知之为知之，不知为不知，是知也。 (From The Analects of Confucius: The Way of Governance)
Phonetic transcription (Pinyin): zhī zhī wéi zhī zhī, bù zhī wéi bù zhī, shì zhī yě.
Translation: When you know a thing, to hold that you know it; and when you do not know a thing, to allow that you do not know it – this is knowledge.
Interpretations: These words of Confucius are for Zi Lu (子路), a student of Confucius when he asked Confucius for advice. The idea is that one should be honest in learning and not pretend to understand.
2. 多闻，择其善者而从之，多见而识之，知之次也。 (From The Analects of Confucius: Shui Er)
Phonetic transcription: duō wén, zé qí shàn zhě ér cónɡ zhī, duō jiàn ér shí zhī, zhī zhī cì yě.
Translation: Hearing much and selecting what is good and following it; seeing much and keeping it in memory: this is the second style of knowledge.
Interpretations: This quote elaborates on Confucius’s attitude to learning. He advocated listening and watching more in academic pursuits instead of relying on subjective assumptions, which reflects Confucius’s rigorous academic attitude.
3. 圣者吾不能，我学不厌而教不倦也。 (From Mencius: Gongsun Chou Shang)
Phonetic transcription: shènɡ zhě wú bù nénɡ, wǒ xué bù yàn ér jiào bù juàn yě.
Translation: I cannot be a saint. I am just never tired of learning and never tired of teaching.
Interpretations: This quote, taken from a dialogue between Confucius and his disciple Zi Gong (子贡), expresses Confucius’s humble attitude to learning. He believed that learning and education were a long-term task that required persistence and perseverance and could not be done superficially.
4. 学如不及，犹恐失之。 (From The Analects of Confucius: Tai Bo)
Phonetic transcription: xué rú bù jí, yóu kǒnɡ shī zhī.
Translation: The Master said, “Learn as if you could not reach your object, and were always fearing also lest you should lose it.”
Interpretations: Confucius used these words to emphasize the significance of attitude in learning. He believed that those who are truly determined to learn should maintain a sense of urgency because of the fear of failure in learning. Students should have a positive and aggressive learning spirit.
5. 敏而好学，不耻下问。 (From The Analects of Confucius: Gongye Chang)
Phonetic transcription: mǐn ér hào xué, bù chǐ xià wèn.
Translation: the Master said, “He was curious and fond of learning and not ashamed to learn from his inferiors, so he was called a civilized man.”
Interpretations: Confucius believed that no one could be proficient in all fields and skills. Seeking advice from those who are slightly less skilled than you is not a degradation of status, but rather an effective way to improve yourself. By asking for advice and learning from others, we can gain new knowledge and experience, which in turn will improve our skills and competitiveness.
6. 兴于诗，立于礼，成于乐。 (From The Analects of Confucius: Tai Bo)
Phonetic transcription: xīnɡ yú shī, lì yú lǐ, chénɡ yú lè.
Translation: A man, said the Master, may be inspired by poetry, established in performing the rites, and perfected by music.
Interpretations: In this quote, Confucius presents three aspects of learning and the different roles of these three aspects. He urges students not only to improve their cultivation but also to acquire comprehensive and extensive knowledge and skills.
7. 志于道，据于德，依于仁，游于艺。 (From The Analects of Confucius: Shui Er)
Phonetic transcription: zhì yú dào, jù yú dé, yī yú rén, yóu yú yì.
Translation: Aim at truth, said the Master, depend on virtue, rely on the good, and delight in the arts.
Interpretations: Confucius here suggested that a person should pursue the way of life by using the six arts as a means and Ren and “virtue” as a program to achieve his or her own life and that one’s learning should be based on appropriate goals and approaches.
8. 知之者不如好之者，好之者不如乐之者。 (From The Analects of Confucius: Yong Ye)
Phonetic transcription: zhī zhī zhě bù rú hǎo zhī zhě, hǎo zhī zhě bù rú lè zhī zhě.
Translation: To understand is good, to enjoy is better and to delight is best.
Interpretations: This statement by Confucius illustrates the three levels of learning – “understanding” “enjoying,” and “delighting”. He also emphasized the importance of interest in the learning process.
9. 吾尝终日不食，终夜不寝，以思，无益，不如学也。 (From The Analects of Confucius: Duke Ling of Wey)
Phonetic transcription: wú chánɡ zhōnɡ rì bù shí, zhōnɡ yè bù qǐn, yǐ sī, wú yì, bù rú xué yě.
Translation: Once, said the Master, I spent a whole day and a whole night in thinking, without eating and sleeping. I got no results and found it better to learn.
Interpretations: Confucius showed his students that it was useless to think without learning. He emphasized that learning and thinking must be combined to achieve good results.
10. 学而不思则罔，思而不学则殆。 (From The Analects of Confucius: The Way of Governance)
Phonetic transcription: xué ér bù sī zé wǎnɡ, sī ér bù xué zé dài.
Translation: To learn without thinking, said the Master, risks to be blind, while to think without learning risks to be impractical.
Interpretations: This saying is a method of reading and learning advocated by Confucius, that is, in the process of learning, one should be good at integrating theory with practice and summarizing.
11. 温故而知新，可以为师矣。 (From The Analects of Confucius: The Way of Governance)
Phonetic transcription: wēn ɡù ér zhī xīn, kě yǐ wéi shī yǐ.
Translation: One who can learn something new while reviewing what he has learned, said the Master, is fit to be a teacher.
Interpretations: This saying implies that new knowledge and learning are often developed based on what has been learned in the past. It tells us that if we repeatedly do some things, even those easy things, to gain experience, we can eventually become experts in the field.
12. 学而时习之，不亦说乎？ (From The Analects of Confucius: Xue Er)
Phonetic transcription: xué ér shí xí zhī, bù yì yuè hū?
Translation: Is it not a delight, said the Master, to acquire knowledge and put it into practice?
Interpretations: It conveys an important view of Confucius on learning. For knowledge, “learning” is a process of understanding, and “reviewing” is a process of consolidation; to gain more knowledge, “learning” and “reviewing” must be combined.
13. 博学而笃志，切问而近思，仁在其中矣。 (From The Analects of Confucius: Zi Zhang）
Phonetic transcription: bó xué ér dǔ zhì, qiè wèn ér jìn sī, rén zài qí zhōnɡ yǐ.
Translation: If a man studies in a wide range and with an unswerving aim, if he asks questions earnestly and reflects on closely related problems, he may be said to have good qualities in him.
Interpretations: This quote emphasizes the comprehensive nature of learning. It not only requires us to be more determined and perseverant, but also to study extensively, seek advice earnestly, and think diligently. At the same time, we must also have our ideas and constantly expand our field of knowledge.
14. 人而无恒，不可以作巫医。 (From The Analects of Confucius: Zi Lu)
Phonetic transcription: rén ér wú hénɡ, bù kě yǐ zuò wū yī.
Translation: A man without constancy cannot be either a wizard or a doctor.
Interpretations: The central idea in this quote is consistency. In our study and daily life, we should be persistent.
15. 三人行，必有我师焉；择其善者而从之，其不善者而改之。 (From The Analects of Confucius: Shui Er)
Phonetic transcription: sān rén xínɡ, bì yǒu wǒ shī yān; zé qí shàn zhě ér cónɡ zhī, qí bù shàn zhě ér ɡǎi zhī.
Translation: When three men walk together, said the Master, there must be one worthy to be my teacher. I will choose what is good in him to follow and avoid what is not good.
Interpretations: This sentence shows Confucius’s humility in learning. According to Confucius, everyone has his strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, whether in study or life, we should maintain a humble and modest attitude and constantly strive for progress and improvement.
At the same time, we should be good at discovering the strengths and merits of others, respecting their differences, and drawing strength from them.
16. 学而不厌，诲人不倦。 (From The Analects of Confucius: Shui Er)
Phonetic transcription: xué ér bù yàn, huì rén bù juàn.
Translation: If I can learn by heart, said the Master, not tired of learning nor teaching, what more shall I need?
Interpretations: This quote reflects Confucius’s attitude to learning and teaching. It inspires us to learn with our hearts and to maintain our desire and pursuit of knowledge, and it also requires educators to be passionate and patient in teaching. This concept is still very important today. They can not only help us succeed in our study and work but also shape our personality and life values.
17. 君子食无求饱，居无求安，敏于事而慎于言，就有道而正焉，可谓好学也已。 (From The Analects of Confucius: Xue Er)
Phonetic transcription: jūn zǐ shí wú qiú bǎo, jū wú qiú ān, mǐn yú shì ér shèn yú yán, jiù yǒu dào ér zhènɡ yān, kě wèi hǎo xué yě yǐ.
Translation: A gentleman, said the Master, eats to live, and not lives to eat. He may dwell in comfort, but not seek comfort in dwelling. He should be prompt in action and cautious in speech. He should seek good company and amend his faults. Such a man may be said to be good at learning.
Interpretations: Confucius believed that there should be a positive attitude to studying. He counseled people not to only desire to live in peace, and be well-fed and warm, but to have ambitious goals and establish a correct outlook on life and values.
18. 君子欲纳于言而敏于行。 (From The Analects of Confucius: Liren)
Phonetic transcription: jūn zǐ yù nà yú yán ér mǐn yú xínɡ.
Translation: A cultured man, said the Master, may be slow in word but prompt in deed.
Interpretations: This quote tells us that in our study and life, we must be consistent in what we say and do and pay attention to ourselves so that we can continuously improve our abilities and character and become a truly valuable person.