--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They understand but a little who…" description: "\"They understand but a little who understand only what can be explained.\" — Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f70/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach-258_explained_they-understand-but-a-little-who-underst_1071919.png" --- # They understand but a little who understand only what can… ![“They understand but a little who understand only what can be explained.” quote by Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f70/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach-258_explained_they-understand-but-a-little-who-underst_1071919.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f70/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach-258_explained_they-understand-but-a-little-who-underst_1071919.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f70/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach-258_explained_they-understand-but-a-little-who-underst_1071919.png) > “They understand but a little who understand only what can be explained.” [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Only those who can articulate ideas truly grasp them; unexplainable knowledge remains shallow. **In simple terms:** Understanding requires clear explanation. Key Takeaway Seek clarity in communication. Themes knowledge communication understanding Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - teaching - public speaking - writing - debate - learning Key Concepts epistemology language cognition Questions to Reflect On - How can you make abstract concepts concrete? - What limits our ability to explain? A Different Perspective Complex ideas may resist simple explanation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) ## Related quotes > [Those who understand only what can be explained understand very little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/those-who-understand-only-what-can-be-explained-understand-very-little/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [If I wanted you to understand it, I would have explained it better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-cruijff/if-i-wanted-you-to-understand-it-i-would-have-explained-it-better/) [Johan Cruijff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-cruijff/) > [To know a little less and to understand a little more: that, it seems to me, is our greatest need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ramsey-ullman/to-know-a-little-less-and-to-understand-a-little-more-that-it-seems/) [James Ramsey Ullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ramsey-ullman/) > [“People understand me so little that they do not even understand when I complain of being misunderstood.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/people-understand-me-so-little-that-they-do-not-even-understand-when/) [Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/) > [Society needs to condemn a little more and understand a little less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-major/society-needs-to-condemn-a-little-more-and-understand-a-little-less/) [John Major](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-major/) > [True knowledge comes to each of us when we notice how little we understand about life, ourselves, and the world around us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/true-knowledge-comes-to-each-of-us-when-we-notice-how-little-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't express your ideas too clearly. Most people think little of what they understand, and venerate what they do not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/don-t-express-your-ideas-too-clearly-most-people-think-little-of-what/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [“How little we understand of the gifts we have been given or the shape of the path we took to reach our salvation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harley-king/how-little-we-understand-of-the-gifts-we-have-been-given-or-the-shape/) [Harley King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harley-king/) > [Literature tells very little to those who understand it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-benjamin/literature-tells-very-little-to-those-who-understand-it/) [Walter Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-benjamin/) > [“There is very little you understand about my world, Juliette.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/there-is-very-little-you-understand-about-my-world-juliette/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [Can you understand? Someone, somewhere, can you understand me a little, love me a little? For all my despair, for all my ideals, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/can-you-understand-someone-somewhere-can-you-understand-me-a-little/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [It is better to understand little than to misunderstand a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/it-is-better-to-understand-little-than-to-misunderstand-a-lot/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [“Hard, sharp, ticks. I hate them. Measuring thought, infinite space, by cogs and wheels. Can you understand? Someone, somewhere, can you understand me a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/hard-sharp-ticks-i-hate-them-measuring-thought-infinite-space-by-cogs/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [I understand so very little. But I am not afraid to look: I am a good observer at last. My eyes are open, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-charles-wilson/i-understand-so-very-little-but-i-am-not-afraid-to-look-i-am-a-good/) [Robert Charles Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-charles-wilson/) > [ I don't understand "The Little World of the Past" \[a reference to the title of the book by Antonio Fogazzaro\] that is destined to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franca-sozzani/i-don-t-understand-the-little-world-of-the-past-a-reference-to-the/) [Franca Sozzani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franca-sozzani/) ## More by Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach > [An opinion may be controverted; a prejudice, never.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/an-opinion-may-be-controverted-a-prejudice-never/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Imaginary evils are incurable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/imaginary-evils-are-incurable/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Even virtue is an art; and even its devotees are divided into those who practise it and those who are merely amateurs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/even-virtue-is-an-art-and-even-its-devotees-are-divided-into-those/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Parents forgive their children least readily for the faults they themselves instilled in them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/parents-forgive-their-children-least-readily-for-the-faults-they/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Genius points the way, talent takes it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/genius-points-the-way-talent-takes-it/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Whoever prefers the material comforts of life over intellectual wealth is like the owner of a palace who moves into the servants’ quarters and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/whoever-prefers-the-material-comforts-of-life-over-intellectual/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [The incurable ills are the imaginary ills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/the-incurable-ills-are-the-imaginary-ills/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Pain is the great teacher of mankind. Beneath its breath souls develop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/pain-is-the-great-teacher-of-mankind-beneath-its-breath-souls-develop/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Where would the power of women be, were it not for the vanity of men?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/where-would-the-power-of-women-be-were-it-not-for-the-vanity-of-men/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [“Much less evil would be done on earth if evil could not be done in the name of good. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/much-less-evil-would-be-done-on-earth-if-evil-could-not-be-done-in/) [Marie Von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Those whom we support hold us up in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/those-whom-we-support-hold-us-up-in-life/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Pity is love in undress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/pity-is-love-in-undress/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/even-a-stopped-clock-is-right-twice-a-day/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Morals refine manners, as manners refine morals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/morals-refine-manners-as-manners-refine-morals/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [Nothing makes us more cowardly and unconscionable than the desire to be loved by everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/nothing-makes-us-more-cowardly-and-unconscionable-than-the-desire-to/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) [Explore all 158 Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) ## More Explained quotes > [“Why ever are you here?“ she whispered, putting her hands to his face. “Because I love you.” In so many ways, that explained nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/why-ever-are-you-here-she-whispered-putting-her-hands-to-his-face/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [My belief is, you know, certain things have to be explained that's never been explained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-gregory/my-belief-is-you-know-certain-things-have-to-be-explained-that-s/) [Dick Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-gregory/) > [Shut up,' he explained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ring-lardner/shut-up-he-explained/) [Ring Lardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ring-lardner/) > [Something that cannot be explained cannot be seen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/something-that-cannot-be-explained-cannot-be-seen/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [I think I've explained earlier on in the year that I kind of underestimated how important experience was in this series, especially when you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wheldon/i-think-i-ve-explained-earlier-on-in-the-year-that-i-kind-of/) [Dan Wheldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wheldon/) > [For me, art begins when there is something left that cannot be explained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moshe-kupferman/for-me-art-begins-when-there-is-something-left-that-cannot-be/) Moshe Kupferman > [“Having something explained to you does not always solve it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/having-something-explained-to-you-does-not-always-solve-it/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [Could it ever be explained, how matter becomes conscious?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/could-it-ever-be-explained-how-matter-becomes-conscious/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [My doctor explained that exercise and diet changes might help and that I also might need a medication.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/della-reese/my-doctor-explained-that-exercise-and-diet-changes-might-help-and/) [Della Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/della-reese/) > [“...if it's something a single book can explain, it's not worth having explained.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/if-it-s-something-a-single-book-can-explain-it-s-not-worth-having/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [When I was young, I had this feeling that there was this handbook that I had never gotten that explained how to be, how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ze-frank/when-i-was-young-i-had-this-feeling-that-there-was-this-handbook-that/) [Ze Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ze-frank/) > [Some things cannot be explained. This is part of the magic of life. There cannot be a word or an idea or a definition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-james/some-things-cannot-be-explained-this-is-part-of-the-magic-of-life/) [Jim James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-james/) > [The wrongful arrest of tens of thousands of British Muslims after the September 11 attacks can be explained by the very poor intelligence the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-mulgan/the-wrongful-arrest-of-tens-of-thousands-of-british-muslims-after-the/) [Geoff Mulgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-mulgan/) > [I've explained before the power psychology has on the markets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trish-regan/i-ve-explained-before-the-power-psychology-has-on-the-markets/) [Trish Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trish-regan/) > [“Everything can be explained to the people, on the single condition that you really want them to understand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frantz-fanon/everything-can-be-explained-to-the-people-on-the-single-condition/) [Frantz Fanon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frantz-fanon/) Browse all 132 Explained quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "They understand but a little who understand only what can be explained.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/they-understand-but-a-little-who-understand-only-what-can-be-explained/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Explained" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/they-understand-but-a-little-who-understand-only-what-can-be-explained/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f70/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach-258_explained_they-understand-but-a-little-who-underst_1071919.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f70/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach-258_explained_they-understand-but-a-little-who-underst_1071919.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f70/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach-258_explained_they-understand-but-a-little-who-underst_1071919.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“They understand but a little who understand only what can be explained.” — Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach", "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": "Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "They understand but a little who...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/they-understand-but-a-little-who-understand-only-what-can-be-explained/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/they-understand-but-a-little-who-understand-only-what-can-be-explained/#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 } } ] } ```