--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you are ignorant about something, to…" description: "\"When you are ignorant about something, to know that you are ignorant about it - that is knowledge.\" — Confucius" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcd/confucius-164_funny_when-you-are-ignorant-about-something-to_1179220.jpg" --- # When you are ignorant about something, to know that you… ![“When you are ignorant about something, to know that you are ignorant about it - that is knowledge.” quote by Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcd/confucius-164_funny_when-you-are-ignorant-about-something-to_1179220.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcd/confucius-164_funny_when-you-are-ignorant-about-something-to_1179220.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcd/confucius-164_funny_when-you-are-ignorant-about-something-to_1179220.jpg) > “When you are ignorant about something, to know that you are ignorant about it - that is knowledge.” [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. Recognizing one’s own ignorance is the first step toward true knowledge. **In simple terms:** Knowing you don’t know is knowledge. Key Takeaway Embrace humility to learn. Themes humility self‑awareness learning Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - education - personal growth - leadership Key Concepts ignorance knowledge self‑knowledge Questions to Reflect On - What do you do when you realize you don’t know? - How can you turn ignorance into learning? A Different Perspective Admitting ignorance can be socially uncomfortable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [How can people be anything but ignorant when knowledge isn't saved, isn't taught?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/how-can-people-be-anything-but-ignorant-when-knowledge-isn-t-saved/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [“The rhetorician need not know the truth about things; he has only to discover some way of persuading the ignorant that he has more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-rhetorician-need-not-know-the-truth-about-things-he-has-only-to/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Man has survived hitherto because he was too ignorant to know how to realise his wishes- Now that he can realise them, he must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-carlos-williams/man-has-survived-hitherto-because-he-was-too-ignorant-to-know-how-to/) [William Carlos Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-carlos-williams/) > [Even the wisest woman you talk to is ignorant of something you may know, but an elegant woman never forgets her elegance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/even-the-wisest-woman-you-talk-to-is-ignorant-of-something-you-may/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [We are ignorant of what it is we do not know even though we know more than we can ever say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-l-s-shackle/we-are-ignorant-of-what-it-is-we-do-not-know-even-though-we-know-more/) G. L. S. Shackle > [I am not ashamed to confess that I am ignorant of what I do not know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/i-am-not-ashamed-to-confess-that-i-am-ignorant-of-what-i-do-not-know/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Of course, the more you read, the more you learn, and ultimately there is more information than you can ever use. The difficulty is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/of-course-the-more-you-read-the-more-you-learn-and-ultimately-there/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [Timidity betrays want of powers, and audacity a want of skill. There are, indeed, two things, knowledge and opinion, of which the one makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hippocrates/timidity-betrays-want-of-powers-and-audacity-a-want-of-skill-there/) [Hippocrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hippocrates/) > [The trouble with modern education is you never know how ignorant they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/the-trouble-with-modern-education-is-you-never-know-how-ignorant-they/) [Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/) > [How clever you are, to know something of which you are ignorant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/how-clever-you-are-to-know-something-of-which-you-are-ignorant/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [How pleasant it is to be ignorant! Not to know exactly who Mozart was, to ignore his origin, his influence, the details of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-luisa-bombal/how-pleasant-it-is-to-be-ignorant-not-to-know-exactly-who-mozart-was/) Maria Luisa Bombal > [Those who pretend to know what they don't, will be thought ignorant of even what they know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiruvalluvar/those-who-pretend-to-know-what-they-don-t-will-be-thought-ignorant-of/) [Thiruvalluvar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiruvalluvar/) > [We must make up our minds to be ignorant of much, if we would know anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-newman/we-must-make-up-our-minds-to-be-ignorant-of-much-if-we-would-know/) [John Henry Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-newman/) > [“How can I know these trees, how can I know you, how can I know the other if I myself am unknown to me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osho/how-can-i-know-these-trees-how-can-i-know-you-how-can-i-know-the/) [Osho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osho/) > [There may be some so very Ignorant, that they know not how to Pray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cotton-mather/there-may-be-some-so-very-ignorant-that-they-know-not-how-to-pray/) [Cotton Mather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cotton-mather/) ## More by Confucius > [Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/attack-the-evil-that-is-within-yourself-rather-than-attacking-the/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [The superior man is distressed by his want (lack) of ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-superior-man-is-distressed-by-his-want-lack-of-ability/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [In ancient times, those who wished to illuminate the world with virtue first brought order to their nations. 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. 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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/) > [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/) > [Sometimes I look at my awesome twitter followers & think to myself, What the hell would I do without them :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/sometimes-i-look-at-my-awesome-twitter-followers-think-to-myself-what/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [The happy have whole days,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/the-happy-have-whole-days/) [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) > [Congratulations to Facebook on going public with all my private information...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/congratulations-to-facebook-on-going-public-with-all-my-private/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Why are things as they are and not otherwise?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-kepler/why-are-things-as-they-are-and-not-otherwise/) [Johannes Kepler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-kepler/) > [I've been funny my whole life. This is a gift God gave me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/i-ve-been-funny-my-whole-life-this-is-a-gift-god-gave-me/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [Penis goes in , sperms cums out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/penis-goes-in-sperms-cums-out/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [If you were to send a werewolf to the moon, would he be a werewolf permanently?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-schaal/if-you-were-to-send-a-werewolf-to-the-moon-would-he-be-a-werewolf/) [Kristen Schaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-schaal/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) Pancho Barnes > [If you can connect people, you can create the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-heiferman/if-you-can-connect-people-you-can-create-the-future/) [Scott Heiferman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-heiferman/) > [Don't think OF the market. Think AS the market.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-fishman/don-t-think-of-the-market-think-as-the-market/) Michael Fishman [Browse all 39,858 Funny quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you are ignorant about something, to know that you are ignorant about it - that is knowledge.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Confucius" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/when-you-are-ignorant-about-something-to-know-that-you-are-ignorant/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Funny" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/when-you-are-ignorant-about-something-to-know-that-you-are-ignorant/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcd/confucius-164_funny_when-you-are-ignorant-about-something-to_1179220.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcd/confucius-164_funny_when-you-are-ignorant-about-something-to_1179220.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcd/confucius-164_funny_when-you-are-ignorant-about-something-to_1179220.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you are ignorant about something, to know that you are ignorant about it - that is knowledge.” — 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": "When you are ignorant about something,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/when-you-are-ignorant-about-something-to-know-that-you-are-ignorant/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/when-you-are-ignorant-about-something-to-know-that-you-are-ignorant/#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 } } ] } ```