---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In an honest man there is always…"
description: "\"In an honest man there is always something of a child.\" — Plato"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16c/plato-103_child_in-an-honest-man-there-is-always-somethi_726919.jpg"
---

#  In an honest man there is always something of a child.

![“In an honest man there is always something of a child.” quote by Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16c/plato-103_child_in-an-honest-man-there-is-always-somethi_726919.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16c/plato-103_child_in-an-honest-man-there-is-always-somethi_726919.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16c/plato-103_child_in-an-honest-man-there-is-always-somethi_726919.jpg)

> “In an honest man there is always something of a child.”

[Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Adults retain childlike qualities of honesty, curiosity, and wonder when they stay true to themselves.

**In simple terms:** Honesty often reflects childlike innocence.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate honesty by embracing curiosity.

Themes

integrity innocence curiosity

Mood

reflective thoughtful

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- parenting
- education
- leadership
- personal growth

Key Concepts

philosophy human nature

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you nurture childlike honesty in adulthood?
- What does honesty mean to you?

A Different Perspective

Adults may lose childlike openness under social pressure.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/)

## Related quotes

> [ An honest man is always a child. \[Lat., Semper bonus homo tiro est.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/an-honest-man-is-always-a-child-lat-semper-bonus-homo-tiro-est/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

> [An honest man is always a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/an-honest-man-is-always-a-child/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

> [It is often sadly remarked that the bad economists present their errors to the public better than the good economists present their truths. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hazlitt/it-is-often-sadly-remarked-that-the-bad-economists-present-their/)

[Henry Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hazlitt/)

> [Listen - man is a child of Nature. When he turns against his mother - he's done! He may not find out about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-ostenso/listen-man-is-a-child-of-nature-when-he-turns-against-his-mother-he-s/)

[Martha Ostenso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-ostenso/)

> [“That’s fine. I’ve been fighting for better my whole life. One scared man-child isn’t going to stop me from finding it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-ney/that-s-fine-i-ve-been-fighting-for-better-my-whole-life-one-scared/)

[Sara Ney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-ney/)

> [What kind of man can name a child Moon Unit?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/what-kind-of-man-can-name-a-child-moon-unit/)

[Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/)

> [A woman should never underestimate the power of the child in the man. Sometimes the child seems to be in the driver's seat at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-brothers/a-woman-should-never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-child-in-the-man/)

[Joyce Brothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-brothers/)

> [“It doesn't take a man to have a child, it takes a man to raise a child.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gonzobilly/it-doesn-t-take-a-man-to-have-a-child-it-takes-a-man-to-raise-a-child/)

[GonzoBilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gonzobilly/)

> [My father was short for a man, with a child's plaything for a name - Spinner. He had flawless dark brown skin and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-blow/my-father-was-short-for-a-man-with-a-child-s-plaything-for-a-name/)

[Charles M. Blow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-blow/)

> [Man is the Child of his Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shinichi-suzuki/man-is-the-child-of-his-environment/)

[Shinichi Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shinichi-suzuki/)

> [The truth is that when a man has a child, and it's a girl, and he doesn't change as a man, he's not much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-lurie/the-truth-is-that-when-a-man-has-a-child-and-it-s-a-girl-and-he-doesn/)

[Rod Lurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-lurie/)

> [“It doesn’t matter what you’ve done or seen. Every man’s a child until he’s a father. It’s the way the world’s made.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-abraham/it-doesn-t-matter-what-you-ve-done-or-seen-every-man-s-a-child-until/)

[Daniel Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-abraham/)

> [A man cannot become a child again, or he becomes childish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/a-man-cannot-become-a-child-again-or-he-becomes-childish/)

[Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/)

> [“In every man, there is a child. In every woman, there is a mother. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santosh-kalwar/in-every-man-there-is-a-child-in-every-woman-there-is-a-mother/)

[Santosh Kalwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santosh-kalwar/)

> [In every real man a child is hidden that wants to play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/in-every-real-man-a-child-is-hidden-that-wants-to-play/)

[Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/)

## More by Plato

> [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/)

[Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/)

> [You may be sure, dear Crito, that inaccurate language is not only in itself a mistake: it implants evil in men's souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/you-may-be-sure-dear-crito-that-inaccurate-language-is-not-only-in/)

[Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/)

> [“If men learn this, it will implant forgetfulness in their souls; they will cease to exercise memory because they rely on that which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/if-men-learn-this-it-will-implant-forgetfulness-in-their-souls-they/)

[Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/)

> [Knowledge which is acquired under compulsion obtains no hold on the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/knowledge-which-is-acquired-under-compulsion-obtains-no-hold-on-the/)

[Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/)

> [I do not think it is permitted that a better man be harmed by a worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/i-do-not-think-it-is-permitted-that-a-better-man-be-harmed-by-a-worse/)

[Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/)

> [Any city, however small, is in fact divided into two, one the city of the poor, the other of the rich; these are at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/any-city-however-small-is-in-fact-divided-into-two-one-the-city-of/)

[Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/)

> [When men speak ill of thee, live so as nobody may believe them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/when-men-speak-ill-of-thee-live-so-as-nobody-may-believe-them/)

[Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/)

> [“The love of man to woman is a thing common and of course, and at first partakes more of instinct and passion than of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-love-of-man-to-woman-is-a-thing-common-and-of-course-and-at-first/)

[Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/)

> [Strange times are these in which we live when old and young are taught in falsehood's school, and the one man that dares to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/strange-times-are-these-in-which-we-live-when-old-and-young-are/)

[Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/)

> [“He was a wise man who invented God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/he-was-a-wise-man-who-invented-god/)

[Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/)

> [For let me tell you, that the more the pleasures of the body fade away, the greater to me is the pleasure and charm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/for-let-me-tell-you-that-the-more-the-pleasures-of-the-body-fade-away/)

[Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/)

> [“What shall we say about those spectators, then, who can see a plurality of beautiful things, but not beauty itself, and who are incapable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/what-shall-we-say-about-those-spectators-then-who-can-see-a-plurality/)

[Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/)

> [Geometry existed before creation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/geometry-existed-before-creation/)

[Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/)

> [When men speak ill of thee, live so that nobody will believe them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/when-men-speak-ill-of-thee-live-so-that-nobody-will-believe-them/)

[Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/)

> [We must, if we are to be consistent, and if we re to have a real pedigree herd, mate the best of our men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/we-must-if-we-are-to-be-consistent-and-if-we-re-to-have-a-real/)

[Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/)

[Explore all 1,278 Plato quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/)

## More Child quotes

> [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

> [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/)

[Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/)

> [“As parents who make every effort we can to raise our children in loving security, we do not need to feel more guilt than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabor-mat/as-parents-who-make-every-effort-we-can-to-raise-our-children-in/)

[Gabor Maté](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabor-mat/)

> [I want to make my music and be a happy woman, a good wife, a good mom and one day hopefully have a child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leann-rimes/i-want-to-make-my-music-and-be-a-happy-woman-a-good-wife-a-good-mom/)

[LeAnn Rimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leann-rimes/)

> [I would have done well as a gypsy child, I think. A circus baby. I coulda played a great street urchin or ragamuffin. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/i-would-have-done-well-as-a-gypsy-child-i-think-a-circus-baby-i/)

[Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/)

> [We're raising children who have little tolerance for disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-re-raising-children-who-have-little-tolerance-for-disappointment/)

[Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/)

> [I'm a weirdo and an only child. That comes together to create one-woman shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seales/i-m-a-weirdo-and-an-only-child-that-comes-together-to-create-one/)

[Amanda Seales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seales/)

> [“Every child is born as angel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/every-child-is-born-as-angel/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [To assist a child we must provide him with an environment which will enable him to develop freely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/to-assist-a-child-we-must-provide-him-with-an-environment-which-will/)

[Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/)

> [Almost everywhere we find . . . the use of various coercive measures, to rid ourselves as quickly as possible of the child withinus--i.e.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/almost-everywhere-we-find-the-use-of-various-coercive-measures-to-rid/)

[Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/)

> [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/)

[Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/)

> [if we center our lives on BMWs, RVs, VCRs, PCs and the other acronyms of consumerism, we cannot expect our children to do otherwise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnnetta-b-cole/if-we-center-our-lives-on-bmws-rvs-vcrs-pcs-and-the-other-acronyms-of/)

[Johnnetta B. Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnnetta-b-cole/)

> [Bring up your children in the way you think other peoples children should go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/bring-up-your-children-in-the-way-you-think-other-peoples-children/)

[Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/)

> [Parents who are stressed or disturbed will have more difficulty in meeting their children's needs. Parents who have little support--from friends, relatives, neighbors, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/parents-who-are-stressed-or-disturbed-will-have-more-difficulty-in/)

Sheila Kamerman

> [My first three manuscripts were epic fantasy - like high fantasy - and then the fourth one was a historical fantasy about Mozart as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-lu/my-first-three-manuscripts-were-epic-fantasy-like-high-fantasy-and/)

[Marie Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-lu/)

[Browse all 10,700 Child quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "In an honest man there is always something of a child.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Plato"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/in-an-honest-man-there-is-always-something-of-a-child/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Child"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/in-an-honest-man-there-is-always-something-of-a-child/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16c/plato-103_child_in-an-honest-man-there-is-always-somethi_726919.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16c/plato-103_child_in-an-honest-man-there-is-always-somethi_726919.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16c/plato-103_child_in-an-honest-man-there-is-always-somethi_726919.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“In an honest man there is always something of a child.” — Plato",
                "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": "Plato",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "In an honest man there is...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/in-an-honest-man-there-is-always-something-of-a-child/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/in-an-honest-man-there-is-always-something-of-a-child/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
