Confucius was a great educator in ancient China. He devoted his entire life to education, leaving wise sayings with profound impacts on education, such as “teaching without discrimination” (有教无类) and “teaching students according to their aptitudes” (因材施教).
These valuable educational concepts have long been systematically codified and have become infallible guidelines of the current education sphere.
Confucius’s View of Education
Confucius was the first educator in Chinese history who discussed the relationship between education and economic development.
He considered “wealth” and “education” to be two key elements in governance, and he also believed that developing the economy first and then investing in education was necessary. Only in this way would the country be on the road to prosperity and harmony.
It shows that thousands of years ago, Confucius already deeply understood the critical role of education in national development.
Moreover, many of Confucius’s educational ideas were recorded in The Analects of Confucius.
Confucius thought that the potential and strengths of all students should be fully exploited and that their ability to think and solve problems should be independently developed.
At the same time, he emphasized equity, universality, and non-discrimination in education. He expressed that everyone had the right to education. In addition, education should cover a wide range of aspects such as knowledge, skills, and morals to promote people’s all-round development.
In short, these ideas have influenced educational philosophy and practices worldwide.
20 Quotes of Confucius on Education
Here is a collection of 20 quotes by Confucius on education. These quotes cover teaching philosophy, methods, and so on. With these quotes, we can deeply understand and draw inspiration from Confucius’s unique insights into education.
1. 有教无类。(From The Analects of Confucius: Duke Ling of Wey)
Phonetic transcription (Pinyin): yǒu jiào wú lèi.
Translation: Provide education for all people without discrimination.
Interpretations: This saying is one of Confucius’s most important educational views. It focuses on fairness in education, which means that everyone has the right to education. This statement is also the most basic requirement for every educator in modern society: to treat students fairly and justly regardless of their personal preferences, personalities, or family backgrounds.
2. 自行束脩以上，吾未尝无诲焉。(From The Analects of Confucius: Shui Er)
Phonetic transcription: zì xínɡ shù xiū yǐ shànɡ, wú wèi chánɡ wú huì yān.
Translation: Confucius remarked, “In teaching men, I make no difference between the rich and the poor. I have taught men who could just afford to bring me the barest presentation gift in the same way as I taught others.”
Interpretations: This quote reflects Confucius’s attitude to his students. He did not covet their financial benefits but valued their respect for the teacher. The payment represents students’ respect for teachers and their willingness to pay to learn.
3. 不学礼，无以立。(From The Analects of Confucius: The Ji Family)
Phonetic transcription: bù xué lǐ,wú yǐ lì.
Translation: No etiquette, no standing.
Interpretations: This sentence emphasizes the importance of Li in establishing oneself in the world. It warns people to pay attention to the study and practice of Li and continuously improve their cultivation and quality to better cater to social development.
4. 不学诗，无以言。(From The Analects of Confucius: Yao yue)
Phonetic transcription: bù xué shī, wú yǐ yán.
Translation: Without learning The Book of Songs, you will not have good wording.
Interpretations: It illustrates the educational value of literature. According to Confucius, people should improve their language skills and cultural knowledge by studying The Book of Songs so that they can better express their thoughts and interact with others.
5. 弟子入则孝，出则弟，谨而信，泛爱众，而亲仁。行有余力，则以学文。(From The Analects of Confucius: Xue Er)
Phonetic transcription: dì zǐ rù zé xiào, chū zé dì, jǐn ér xìn, fàn ài zhònɡ, ér qīn rén. xínɡ yǒu yú lì, zé yǐ xué wén.
Translation: Confucius remarked, “A young man, when at home, should be a good son; when out in the world, a good citizen. He should be circumspect and truthful. He should be in sympathy with all men, but intimate with men of moral character. If he has time and opportunity to spare, after the performance of those duties, he should then employ them in literary pursuits.”
Interpretations: In this quote, Confucius outlined the proper process of developing one’s personality. He stressed that a person should first acquire moral virtues, learn to be a man, and then learn knowledge and skills.
6. 子以四教：文，行，忠，信。(From The Analects of Confucius: Shui Er)
Phonetic transcription: zǐ yǐ sì jiào: wén, xínɡ, zhōnɡ, xìn.
Translation: The Master taught four things: culture, conduct, faithfulness, and trustworthiness.
Interpretations: This is the core content of Confucius’s education, aimed at cultivating well-rounded talents. It reflects that education extends from shallow to profound levels and from external to internal virtues. Culture and conduct are a person’s external characteristics, while Xin is the internal one. Confucius also believed that education and moral cultivation are integrated.
7. 学而时习之，不亦说乎？有朋自远方来，不亦乐乎？人不知而不愠，不亦君子乎？(From The Analects of Confucius: Xue Er)
Phonetic transcription: xué ér shí xí zhī, bù yì yuè hū? yǒu pénɡ zì yuǎn fānɡ lái, bù yì lè hū? rén bù zhī ér bù yùn, bù yì jūn zǐ hū?
Translation: Is it not a delight, said the Master, to acquire knowledge and put it into practice? Is it not a pleasure to meet friends coming from afar?
Is he not a gentleman who is careless alike of being known or unknown?
Interpretations: Confucius believed education should focus on cultivating human virtues and talents. This statement reflects the importance of learning and involves a profound philosophy of life. This philosophy emphasizes the importance of maintaining a calm attitude and treating people with courtesy in interpersonal interactions.
8. 不患无位，患所以立。不患莫己知，求为可知也。(From The Analects of Confucius: Liren)
Phonetic transcription: bù huàn wú wèi, huàn suǒ yǐ lì. bù huàn mò jǐ zhī, qiú wéi kě zhī yě.
Translation: Be more concerned, said the Master, with your mission than your position. Fear not that you are unknown, but that you are unworthy to be known.
Interpretations: Confucius often discussed this topic with his students, reflecting his basic attitude to life in the world. He believed that a person could gain social respect through study and practice.
9. 道之以政，齐之以刑，民免而无耻；道之以德，齐之以礼，有耻且格。(From The Analects of Confucius: The Way of Governance)
Phonetic transcription: dào zhī yǐ zhènɡ, qí zhī yǐ xínɡ, mín miǎn ér wú chǐ; dào zhī yǐ dé, qí zhī yǐ lǐ, yǒu chǐ qiě ɡé.
Translation: If the people are governed by laws, said the Master, and order is kept by punishment, they would be obedient but not conscientious. If they are led by virtue and order is kept by the rites, they would be conscientious and act in agreement with what is right.
Interpretations: This saying emphasizes the method and process of education. Confucius advocated educating people through morals and rites rather than punishments and penalties. Only in this way will people consciously observe rules and order and develop good moral qualities.
10. 性相近也，习相远也。(From The Analects of Confucius: Yang Huo)
Phonetic transcription: xìnɡ xiānɡ jìn yě, xí xiānɡ yuǎn yě.
Translation: By nature, men are nearly alike; by practice, they get to be wide apart.
Interpretations: Confucius stressed the importance of acquired education and the far-reaching influence of “practices” on individual development. He also pointed out that people with similar natures may take very different paths in life in different environments.
11. 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: This sentence not only mentions the content of education but also implies the right way of learning. Confucius stressed that education should guide students to shape correct values, moral qualities, and artistic cultivation and help them become ethical, talented, and responsible.
12. 吾与回言终日，不违如愚。退而省其私，亦足以发，回也不愚。(From The Analects of Confucius: Gongye Chang)
Phonetic transcription: wú yǔ huí yán zhōnɡ rì, bù wéi rú yú. tuì ér shěnɡ qí sī, yì zú yǐ fā, huí yě bù yú.
Translation: When I talked with Yan Hui all day long, said the Master, he never disagreed with me as if he were stupid. When he retired to do his work all by himself, I found nothing in disagreement with my teaching. Hui is not stupid at all.
Interpretations: This quote praises Confucius for his disciple, Yan Hui, demonstrating the importance he places on thinking and reflection. It also inspires contemporary educators to learn from Confucius’s approach of accountability and constant follow-up questions to ensure that students can master knowledge.
13. 求也退，故进之，由也兼人，故退之。(From The Analects of Confucius: Pioneers)
Phonetic transcription: qiú yě tuì, ɡù jìn zhī, yóu yě jiān rén, ɡù tuì zhī.
Translation: Ran Qiu always retreats, so I encourage him; Zhong You is so brave that I restrain him.
Interpretations: The examples of Ran Qiu (冉求) and Zhong You (仲由) exemplify Confucius’s educational philosophy of teaching students according to their aptitudes and characteristics.
14. 君子博学于文，约之以礼，亦可以弗畔矣夫！(From The Analects of Confucius: Yong Ye)
Phonetic transcription: jūn zǐ bó xué yú wén, yuē zhī yú lǐ, yì kě yǐ fú pàn yǐ fū!.
Translation: A cultured man, said the Master, if wide read in literature and restrained by the rites, would not overstep what is right.
Interpretations: It embodies Confucius’s advocacy of education and teaching. He believed that teaching should emphasize both the breadth of learning and students’ ability to apply knowledge to real-world cases. Only in this way can students systematize and grasp profound knowledge.
15. 不愤不启，不悱不发，举一隅，不以三隅反，则不复也。(From The Analects of Confucius: Shui Er)
Phonetic transcription: bù fèn bù qǐ, bù fěi bù fā, jǔ yì yú, bù yǐ sān yú fǎn, zé bù fù yě.
Translation: I will not instruct, said the Master, those who are not eager to learn, nor enlighten those who are not anxious to discover. If I show a man one corner of the table and he cannot infer the other three, I will not repeat the lesson.
Interpretations: Confucius advocated heuristic teaching with a focus on students, which coincides with the current philosophy of education.
16. 德之不修，学之不讲，闻义不能徙，不善不矣改，是吾忧也。(From The Analects of Confucius: Shui Er)
Phonetic transcription: dé zhī bù xiū, xué zhī bù jiǎnɡ, wén yì bù nénɡ xǐ, bú shàn bù yǐ ɡǎi, shì wú yōu yě.
Translation: Virtue uncultivated, said the Master, knowledge unpropagated, the right undone, and the wrong unrighted, these are my worries.
Interpretations: Confucius emphasized these four aspects in teaching. They inspire modern educators to keep deepening their knowledge, pay attention to their academic training, and cultivate their morality, which are prerequisites for teaching others.
17. 爱之，能勿劳乎? 忠焉，能勿诲乎? (From The Analects of Confucius: Xian Asked)
Phonetic transcription: ài zhī, nénɡ wù láo hū? zhōnɡ yān, nénɡ wù huì hū?
Translation: Confucius said, “To love him means not to let him indulge in comfort; to be loyal to him means to teach him.”
Interpretations: This quote reflects Confucius’s love for his students. At the same time, he believed that loving students reflects teachers’ responsibility for education. It also entails a rich philosophy of life. That is to say, if someone helps you selflessly, you should be grateful and try your best to repay them.
18. 好仁不好学，其蔽也愚；好知不好学，其蔽也绞；好勇不好学，其蔽也乱；好刚不好学，学其蔽也狂。(From The Analects of Confucius: Yang Huo)
Pinyin: hào rén bù hào xué, qí bì yě yú; hào zhī bù hào xué, qí bì yě jiǎo; hào yǒnɡ bù hào xué, qí bì yě luàn; hào ɡānɡ bù hào xué, xué qí bì yě kuánɡ.
Translation: There is the love of being benevolent without the love of learning; the beclouding here leads to a foolish simplicity. There is the love of knowing without the love of learning; the beclouding here leads to the dissipation of the mind. There is the love of being sincere without the love of learning; the beclouding here leads to an injurious disregard for consequences.
Interpretations: In this quote, Confucius emphasizes people’s complementary nature of the right attitude to learning and the importance of education in shaping character and avoiding bigotry. Through education, people can better understand themselves and avoid blind and impulsive behaviors.
19. 诗可以兴，可以观，可以群，可以怨。(From The Analects of Confucius: Yang Huo)
Pinyin: shī kě yǐ xīnɡ, kě yǐ ɡuān, kě yǐ qún, kě yǐ yuàn.
Translation: Poetry may serve to inspire, reflect, communicate, and complain.
Interpretations: This saying reflects Confucius’s high praise for poetry’s social role. Confucius believed that a deeper understanding of The Book of Songs could help students improve themselves in all aspects and thus achieve all-around development.
20. 学而不思则罔，思而不学则殆。(From The Analects of Confucius: The Way of Governance)
Pinyin: 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: Confucius believed that learning and thinking cannot be separated. In teaching, teachers should encourage students to think positively and reflect on their learning methods and processes to improve their learning outcomes.