--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To know that you know, and to know that…" description: "\"To know that you know, and to know that you don't know - that is real wisdom.\" — Confucius" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f32/confucius-164_inspirational_to-know-that-you-know-and-to-know-that-y_1040927.jpg" --- # To know that you know, and to know that you don't know… ![“To know that you know, and to know that you don't know - that is real wisdom.” quote by Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f32/confucius-164_inspirational_to-know-that-you-know-and-to-know-that-y_1040927.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f32/confucius-164_inspirational_to-know-that-you-know-and-to-know-that-y_1040927.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f32/confucius-164_inspirational_to-know-that-you-know-and-to-know-that-y_1040927.jpg) > “To know that you know, and to know that you don't know - that is real wisdom.” [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True wisdom is recognizing both what you understand and what you do not. **In simple terms:** Know what you know and admit what you don’t. Key Takeaway Embrace humility and curiosity. Themes wisdom humility self‑awareness Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - education - leadership - decision making Key Concepts Socratic paradox epistemology Questions to Reflect On - What do you truly understand? - How can you test your assumptions? A Different Perspective Assuming knowledge can lead to arrogance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Know Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-know/) [Know Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-real/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Real wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-wisdom/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [Know what you know and know that you don't know what you don't know — that is the characteristic of one who knows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/know-what-you-know-and-know-that-you-don-t-know-what-you-don-t-know/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [To know what you know and what you do not know, that is true knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/to-know-what-you-know-and-what-you-do-not-know-that-is-true-knowledge/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Even if people do not know what real kindness is, they nonetheless have it within them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/even-if-people-do-not-know-what-real-kindness-is-they-nonetheless/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [To know and not do, is to not yet know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/to-know-and-not-do-is-to-not-yet-know/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [When you know a thing, to hold that you know it, and when you do not know a thing, to allow that you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/when-you-know-a-thing-to-hold-that-you-know-it-and-when-you-do-not/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [What you know you know. What you don't know, you don't know. This is knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/what-you-know-you-know-what-you-don-t-know-you-don-t-know-this-is-2/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [What you know, you know, what you don't know, you don't know. This is true wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/what-you-know-you-know-what-you-don-t-know-you-don-t-know-this-is/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [To take what you know for what you know, and what you do not know for what you do not know, that is knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/to-take-what-you-know-for-what-you-know-and-what-you-do-not-know-for/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [“For the fear of death is indeed the pretense of wisdom, and not real wisdom, being a pretense of knowing the unknown; and no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/for-the-fear-of-death-is-indeed-the-pretense-of-wisdom-and-not-real/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [Real wisdom is simple. 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Wishing to order well their nations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/in-ancient-times-those-who-wished-to-illuminate-the-world-with-virtue/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Better than the one who knows what is right is the one who loves what is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/better-than-the-one-who-knows-what-is-right-is-the-one-who-loves-what/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Knowledge is merely brilliance in organization of ideas and not wisdom. The truly wise person goes beyond knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/knowledge-is-merely-brilliance-in-organization-of-ideas-and-not/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [I live in a very small house, but my windows look out on a very large world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/i-live-in-a-very-small-house-but-my-windows-look-out-on-a-very-large/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [To rule a country of a thousand chariots, there must be reverent attention to business, and sincerity; economy in expenditure, and love for men;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/to-rule-a-country-of-a-thousand-chariots-there-must-be-reverent/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [The real fault is to have faults and not amend them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-real-fault-is-to-have-faults-and-not-amend-them/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [To know what you know and what you do not know, that is true knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/to-know-what-you-know-and-what-you-do-not-know-that-is-true-knowledge/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [A picture is poem without words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/a-picture-is-poem-without-words/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Heaven means to be one with God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/heaven-means-to-be-one-with-god/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Does Heaven ever speak? The four seasons come and go, and all creatures thrive and grow. Does Heaven ever speak!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/does-heaven-ever-speak-the-four-seasons-come-and-go-and-all-creatures/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [To study and at times practice what one has learned, is this not a pleasure?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/to-study-and-at-times-practice-what-one-has-learned-is-this-not-a/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Recompense injury with justice, and recompense kindness with kindness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/recompense-injury-with-justice-and-recompense-kindness-with-kindness/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [There is only one thing in life which never changes, and it is change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/there-is-only-one-thing-in-life-which-never-changes-and-it-is-change/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) [Explore all 1,019 Confucius quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) ## More Inspirational quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We talk to God--that is prayer; God talks to us--that is inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-emilie-cady/we-talk-to-god-that-is-prayer-god-talks-to-us-that-is-inspiration/) [H. Emilie Cady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-emilie-cady/) > [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [The man who can master his time can master nearly anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-man-who-can-master-his-time-can-master-nearly-anything/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Just understand that the good that you want is already here. All you have to do is get in harmony with it. And you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/just-understand-that-the-good-that-you-want-is-already-here-all-you/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/if-you-want-to-build-a-ship-don-t-drum-up-the-men-to-gather-wood/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Obviously, if you don't love life, you can't enjoy an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clark/obviously-if-you-don-t-love-life-you-can-t-enjoy-an-oyster/) [Eleanor Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clark/) > [It's not the method, it's the mindset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gilbert/it-s-not-the-method-it-s-the-mindset/) [Andy Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gilbert/) > [It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you got something to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/it-s-a-hard-thing-to-describe-it-s-just-this-sense-that-you-got/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [Too much familiarity breeds contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/too-much-familiarity-breeds-contempt/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [We never really perceive what color is physically!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-albers/we-never-really-perceive-what-color-is-physically/) [Josef Albers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-albers/) > [Politics is not an issue whether you like or dislike , but every citizen must involve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khem-veasna/politics-is-not-an-issue-whether-you-like-or-dislike-but-every/) [Khem Veasna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khem-veasna/) > [God reveals Himself through surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-reveals-himself-through-surprises/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) [Browse all 114,561 Inspirational quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To know that you know, and to know that you don't know - that is real wisdom.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Confucius" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/to-know-that-you-know-and-to-know-that-you-don-t-know-that-is-real/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Inspirational" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/to-know-that-you-know-and-to-know-that-you-don-t-know-that-is-real/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f32/confucius-164_inspirational_to-know-that-you-know-and-to-know-that-y_1040927.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f32/confucius-164_inspirational_to-know-that-you-know-and-to-know-that-y_1040927.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f32/confucius-164_inspirational_to-know-that-you-know-and-to-know-that-y_1040927.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To know that you know, and to know that you don't know - that is real wisdom.” — Confucius", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Confucius", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To know that you know, and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/to-know-that-you-know-and-to-know-that-you-don-t-know-that-is-real/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/to-know-that-you-know-and-to-know-that-you-don-t-know-that-is-real/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```