--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nobody knows what anything is; a man can…" description: "\"“Nobody knows what anything is; a man can only learn what a thing means!”\" — George MacDonald" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f1/george-macdonald-295_nobody-knows_nobody-knows-what-anything-is-a-man-can_786524.png" --- # Nobody knows what anything is; a man can only learn what a… ![“Nobody knows what anything is; a man can only learn what a thing means!” quote by George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f1/george-macdonald-295_nobody-knows_nobody-knows-what-anything-is-a-man-can_786524.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f1/george-macdonald-295_nobody-knows_nobody-knows-what-anything-is-a-man-can_786524.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f1/george-macdonald-295_nobody-knows_nobody-knows-what-anything-is-a-man-can_786524.png) > ““Nobody knows what anything is; a man can only learn what a thing means!”” [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Knowledge is built from interpreting meanings, not just facts. **In simple terms:** Learning means understanding meaning. Key Takeaway Focus on meaning, not just data. Themes learning interpretation knowledge Mood inquisitive thoughtful Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - education - research - communication - translation Key Concepts epistemology semantic theory Questions to Reflect On - What does this say about absolute truth? - How do you verify meaning? A Different Perspective Meanings shift across cultures and contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Knows Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows-man-316212/) [Learn Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn-thing/) [Man Learn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-learn/) [Nobody knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nobody-knows/) [Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing/) [Thing Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-means-474797/) ## Related quotes > [“What does it all mean?' I said. 'A good question,' he rejoined: 'nobody knows what anything is; a man can learn only what a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/what-does-it-all-mean-i-said-a-good-question-he-rejoined-nobody-knows/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [With too much pride a man cannot learn a thing. In and of itself, learning teaches you how foolish you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/with-too-much-pride-a-man-cannot-learn-a-thing-in-and-of-itself/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“I love the story of a thing. I love a thing for what it means a thousand times more than for what it's worth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-wein/i-love-the-story-of-a-thing-i-love-a-thing-for-what-it-means-a/) [Elizabeth Wein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-wein/) > [We seem never to know what any thing means or is worth until we have lost it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-pike/we-seem-never-to-know-what-any-thing-means-or-is-worth-until-we-have/) [Albert Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-pike/) > [Hope is a bad thing. It means that you are not what you want to be. It means that part of you is dead,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/hope-is-a-bad-thing-it-means-that-you-are-not-what-you-want-to-be-it/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“Loneliness is a very real thing, but it only means even you don't want to be with yourself”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sumit-singh/loneliness-is-a-very-real-thing-but-it-only-means-even-you-don-t-want/) [Sumit Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sumit-singh/) > [What a thing is and what it means are not separate, the former being physical and the latter mental as we are accustomed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-j-gibson/what-a-thing-is-and-what-it-means-are-not-separate-the-former-being/) [James J. Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-j-gibson/) > [If I Can Means every Thing, If I Can't Means Nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prakash-reddy/if-i-can-means-every-thing-if-i-can-t-means-nothing/) [Prakash Reddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prakash-reddy/) > [Superstition is believing that something means anything and that anything means something and that each thing means a particular thing and will mean a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/superstition-is-believing-that-something-means-anything-and-that/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [No one can draw more out of things, books included, than he already knows. A man has no ears for that to which experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/no-one-can-draw-more-out-of-things-books-included-than-he-already/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“every son should have a chance to know his father, not as a child knows his protector, but as a man knows another man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-staveley/every-son-should-have-a-chance-to-know-his-father-not-as-a-child/) [Brian Staveley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-staveley/) > [There are four types of men in this world: 1. The man who knows, and knows that he knows; he is wise, so consult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon-ibn-gabirol/there-are-four-types-of-men-in-this-world-1-the-man-who-knows-and/) [Solomon Ibn Gabirol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon-ibn-gabirol/) > [The more man knows of man, the better for the common brotherhood among men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-more-man-knows-of-man-the-better-for-the-common-brotherhood-among/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Anyone who knows Tuchel knows that he is a man who leaves nothing to coincidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-rudiger/anyone-who-knows-tuchel-knows-that-he-is-a-man-who-leaves-nothing-to/) [Antonio Rudiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-rudiger/) > [I care more about what God knows than what man says.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-mustaine/i-care-more-about-what-god-knows-than-what-man-says/) [Dave Mustaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-mustaine/) ## More by George MacDonald > [“No revelation can be other than partial. If for true revelation a man must be told all the truth, then farewell to revelation; yea,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/no-revelation-can-be-other-than-partial-if-for-true-revelation-a-man/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [In low theologies, hell is invariably the deepest truth, and the love of God is not so deep as hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/in-low-theologies-hell-is-invariably-the-deepest-truth-and-the-love/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Life and religion are one, or neither is any thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/life-and-religion-are-one-or-neither-is-any-thing/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [The region belonging to the pure intellect is straitened: the imagination labours to extend its territories, to give it room. She sweeps across the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/the-region-belonging-to-the-pure-intellect-is-straitened-the/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Come, then, affliction, if my Father wills, and be my frowning friend. A friend that frowns is better than a smiling enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/come-then-affliction-if-my-father-wills-and-be-my-frowning-friend-a/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Ah, what is it we send up thither, where our thoughts are either a dissonance or a sweetness and a grace?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/ah-what-is-it-we-send-up-thither-where-our-thoughts-are-either-a/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [You must learn to be strong in the dark as well as in the day, else you will always be only half brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/you-must-learn-to-be-strong-in-the-dark-as-well-as-in-the-day-else/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“Few delights can equal the mere presence of one whom we trust utterly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/few-delights-can-equal-the-mere-presence-of-one-whom-we-trust-utterly/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“You have tasted of death now,” said the old man. “Is it good?” “It is good,” said Mossy. “It is better than life.” “No,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/you-have-tasted-of-death-now-said-the-old-man-is-it-good-it-is-good/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [ “I wish I had \[made that song\]. No, I don't That would be to take it from somebody else. But it's mine for all… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/i-wish-i-had-made-that-song-no-i-don-t-that-would-be-to-take-it-from/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Past tears are present strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/past-tears-are-present-strength/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Age is not all decay; it is the ripening, the swelling, of the fresh life within, that withers and bursts the husk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/age-is-not-all-decay-it-is-the-ripening-the-swelling-of-the-fresh/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [I want to help you grow as beautiful as God meant you to be when he thought of you first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/i-want-to-help-you-grow-as-beautiful-as-god-meant-you-to-be-when-he/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“Immeasurably imperfect it was, but false the impression could not be, for she saw with the eyes made for seeing, and saw indeed what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/immeasurably-imperfect-it-was-but-false-the-impression-could-not-be/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Those that hope little cannot grow much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/those-that-hope-little-cannot-grow-much/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) [Explore all 720 George MacDonald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) ## More Nobody knows quotes > [“life is like a trip nobody knows what will comes next”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-like-a-trip-nobody-knows-what-will-comes-next/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's a bit cliche, but you can't go wrong by writing what you know. Even if you're a horrible writer, your own knowledge and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/issa-rae/it-s-a-bit-cliche-but-you-can-t-go-wrong-by-writing-what-you-know/) [Issa Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/issa-rae/) > [Listen to everyone & learn from everyone because nobody knows everything but everyone know someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/listen-to-everyone-learn-from-everyone-because-nobody-knows/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [How do you get that lonely, how do you hurt that bad. To make you make the call, that havin' no life at all,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sangfroid-stalker/how-do-you-get-that-lonely-how-do-you-hurt-that-bad-to-make-you-make/) [SangFroid Stalker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sangfroid-stalker/) > [It is true that I got recognition. But however good the comedies are, nobody will accept a good comedy director as a good director.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyadarshan/it-is-true-that-i-got-recognition-but-however-good-the-comedies-are/) [Priyadarshan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyadarshan/) > [“There was a Princess Somebody of Denmark sitting at a table with a number of people around her, and I saw an empty chair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/there-was-a-princess-somebody-of-denmark-sitting-at-a-table-with-a/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [If a boy loves a girl, everybody knows except the girl. if a girl loves a boy, nobody knows except herself! :P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mam/if-a-boy-loves-a-girl-everybody-knows-except-the-girl-if-a-girl-loves/) [MAM](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mam/) > [ \[Barack Obama\] will spend long periods of time explaining to people why he won't use it. At the end of the explanation, nobody knows… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/barack-obama-will-spend-long-periods-of-time-explaining-to-people-why/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“What advice would you give to a smart, driven college student about to enter the “real world”? What advice should they ignore? Nobody really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/what-advice-would-you-give-to-a-smart-driven-college-student-about-to/) [Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/) > [I really didn't like Batgirl. I was like, "No, if I'm not gonna be Batman, I'm not gonna play." Maybe they could write an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-madsen/i-really-didn-t-like-batgirl-i-was-like-no-if-i-m-not-gonna-be-batman/) [Virginia Madsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-madsen/) > [Debut novels are difficult because nobody knows you... they just don't find a huge audience, because that's how the market works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celeste-ng/debut-novels-are-difficult-because-nobody-knows-you-they-just-don-t/) [Celeste Ng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celeste-ng/) > [In my early life, I was a professional folk singer. I used to sing on the national television and radio in Canada. Nobody knows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-gordon/in-my-early-life-i-was-a-professional-folk-singer-i-used-to-sing-on/) [Mary Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gordon/) > [Everyone has got that one shit,you wish you had never done... Everyone has got that dirty little secret,nobody knows about... Everyone has got beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dora-providence/everyone-has-got-that-one-shit-you-wish-you-had-never-done-everyone/) [Dora Providence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dora-providence/) > [I love the U.K. folk scene. In the States, nobody knows what to do with me. There's still a very narrow definition of Americana.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/i-love-the-u-k-folk-scene-in-the-states-nobody-knows-what-to-do-with/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [“Nobody knows this castle better than me. They can hunt, but they will not find me. Not before I free Britta and Finn. -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-summerill/nobody-knows-this-castle-better-than-me-they-can-hunt-but-they-will/) [Erin Summerill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-summerill/) [Browse all 821 Nobody knows quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nobody-knows/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Nobody knows what anything is; a man can only learn what a thing means!”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George MacDonald" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/nobody-knows-what-anything-is-a-man-can-only-learn-what-a-thing-means/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Nobody knows" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/nobody-knows-what-anything-is-a-man-can-only-learn-what-a-thing-means/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f1/george-macdonald-295_nobody-knows_nobody-knows-what-anything-is-a-man-can_786524.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f1/george-macdonald-295_nobody-knows_nobody-knows-what-anything-is-a-man-can_786524.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f1/george-macdonald-295_nobody-knows_nobody-knows-what-anything-is-a-man-can_786524.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Nobody knows what anything is; a man can only learn what a thing means!” — George MacDonald", "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": "George MacDonald", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Nobody knows what anything is; a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/nobody-knows-what-anything-is-a-man-can-only-learn-what-a-thing-means/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/nobody-knows-what-anything-is-a-man-can-only-learn-what-a-thing-means/#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 } } ] } ```