--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A man who knows he is a fool is not a…" description: "\"A man who knows he is a fool is not a great fool.\" — Zhuangzi" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f3/zhuangzi-1341_fool_a-man-who-knows-he-is-a-fool-is-not-a-gr_2764472.jpg" --- # A man who knows he is a fool is not a great fool. ![“A man who knows he is a fool is not a great fool.” quote by Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f3/zhuangzi-1341_fool_a-man-who-knows-he-is-a-fool-is-not-a-gr_2764472.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f3/zhuangzi-1341_fool_a-man-who-knows-he-is-a-fool-is-not-a-gr_2764472.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f3/zhuangzi-1341_fool_a-man-who-knows-he-is-a-fool-is-not-a-gr_2764472.jpg) > “A man who knows he is a fool is not a great fool.” [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) ## 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 prevents the arrogance of false confidence. **In simple terms:** Knowing you're a fool avoids being a great fool. Key Takeaway Cultivate self-awareness. Themes humility self‑knowledge wisdom Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - leadership - teaching - conflict resolution Key Concepts philosophy self‑reflection Questions to Reflect On - How do you test your assumptions? - When have you mistaken confidence for competence? A Different Perspective Self‑deception can still lead to poor decisions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Self knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-knowledge/) ## Related quotes > [Only a great fool or a great genius is likely to flout all social grace with impunity, and neither one, doing so, makes the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-vanderbilt/only-a-great-fool-or-a-great-genius-is-likely-to-flout-all-social/) [Amy Vanderbilt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-vanderbilt/) > [A man never knows what a fool he is until he hears himself imitated by one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-beerbohm-tree/a-man-never-knows-what-a-fool-he-is-until-he-hears-himself-imitated/) [Herbert Beerbohm Tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-beerbohm-tree/) > [He who knows he is a fool is not the biggest fool; He who knows he is confused is not in the worst confusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/he-who-knows-he-is-a-fool-is-not-the-biggest-fool-he-who-knows-he-is/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [“The Fool is a great template for the lead character in a story, untarnished by what is to come, eager for adventure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-parnell/the-fool-is-a-great-template-for-the-lead-character-in-a-story/) [Rob Parnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-parnell/) > [The fool has one great advantage over a man of sense; he is always satisfied with himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/the-fool-has-one-great-advantage-over-a-man-of-sense-he-is-always/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [The fool who thinks he is wise is just a fool. The fool who knows he is a fool is wise indeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/the-fool-who-thinks-he-is-wise-is-just-a-fool-the-fool-who-knows-he/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [He Who Knows And Knows That He Knows Is A Wise Man - Follow Him; He Who Knows Not And Knows Not That He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/he-who-knows-and-knows-that-he-knows-is-a-wise-man-follow-him-he-who/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [“Did I say that?” he asked, and then added in so low a voice that Alice could not hear what he was saying, “If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-beaton/did-i-say-that-he-asked-and-then-added-in-so-low-a-voice-that-alice/) [M.C. Beaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-beaton/) > [Lies makes you the great fool but truth makes you a good person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oluwatayo-oluwatoyosi/lies-makes-you-the-great-fool-but-truth-makes-you-a-good-person/) [Oluwatayo Oluwatoyosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oluwatayo-oluwatoyosi/) > [There's no system foolproof enough to defeat a sufficiently great fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-teller/there-s-no-system-foolproof-enough-to-defeat-a-sufficiently-great-fool/) [Edward Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-teller/) > [“Seesth thou a man that isn't GRATEFUL? He is a GREAT FOOL! Yes!!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pastor-erukeoghene-taunu-pet/seesth-thou-a-man-that-isn-t-grateful-he-is-a-great-fool-yes/) Pastor Erukeoghene Taunu PET > [He who thinks himself wise, O Heavens! is a great fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/he-who-thinks-himself-wise-o-heavens-is-a-great-fool/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Anyone who believes that anything can be suited to everyone is a great fool, because medicine is practised not on mankind in general, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-de-mondeville/anyone-who-believes-that-anything-can-be-suited-to-everyone-is-a/) Henri de Mondeville > [“If you are not Grateful, you are definitely going to be a great fool.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olawale-daniel/if-you-are-not-grateful-you-are-definitely-going-to-be-a-great-fool/) [Olawale Daniel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olawale-daniel/) > [“A man and a woman cannot live together without having against each other a kind of everlasting joke. Each has discovered that the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/a-man-and-a-woman-cannot-live-together-without-having-against-each/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) ## More by Zhuangzi > [Sorrow and happiness are the heresies of virtue; joy and anger lead astray from TAO; love and hate cause loss of virtue. The heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/sorrow-and-happiness-are-the-heresies-of-virtue-joy-and-anger-lead/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [The enlightened attention rejects nothing nor welcomes anything-like a mirror it responds equally to all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/the-enlightened-attention-rejects-nothing-nor-welcomes-anything-like/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [If a man is crossing the river and an empty boat collides with his skiff, even though he is a bad tempered man he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/if-a-man-is-crossing-the-river-and-an-empty-boat-collides-with-his/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Calculate what man knows and it cannot compare to what he doesn't know. Calculate the time he is alive and it cannot compare to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/calculate-what-man-knows-and-it-cannot-compare-to-what-he-doesn-t/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Heaven cannot but be high. Earth cannot but be broad. The sun and moon cannot but revolve. All creation cannot but flourish. To do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/heaven-cannot-but-be-high-earth-cannot-but-be-broad-the-sun-and-moon/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [If you wish to care for your body, first of all take care of material things, though even when you have all the things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/if-you-wish-to-care-for-your-body-first-of-all-take-care-of-material/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [As regards the quietude of the sage, he is not quiet because quietness is said to be good. He is quiet because the multitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/as-regards-the-quietude-of-the-sage-he-is-not-quiet-because-quietness/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [All existing things are really one. We regard those that are beautiful and rare as valuable, and those that are ugly as foul and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/all-existing-things-are-really-one-we-regard-those-that-are-beautiful/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Now, when ordinary people attempt to find happiness, I am not sure whether the happiness is really happiness or not. I study what ordinary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/now-when-ordinary-people-attempt-to-find-happiness-i-am-not-sure/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Words exist because of meaning; once you’ve gotten the meaning, you can forget the words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/words-exist-because-of-meaning-once-you-ve-gotten-the-meaning-you-can/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Easy is right. Begin right and you are easy. Continue easy and you are right. The right way to go easy is to forget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/easy-is-right-begin-right-and-you-are-easy-continue-easy-and-you-are/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Hence it demands the emptiness of all the faculties. And when the faculties are empty, then the whole being listens. There is then a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/hence-it-demands-the-emptiness-of-all-the-faculties-and-when-the/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Everything has what is innate,everything has what is necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/everything-has-what-is-innate-everything-has-what-is-necessary/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Where can I find a man who has forgotten words, so I can have a few words with him?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/where-can-i-find-a-man-who-has-forgotten-words-so-i-can-have-a-few/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Standards are different for all things, so the standard set by man is by no means the only 'certain' standard. If you mistake what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/standards-are-different-for-all-things-so-the-standard-set-by-man-is/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) [Explore all 243 Zhuangzi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) ## More Fool quotes > [Do I look like a fool to you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamika-leeigh/do-i-look-like-a-fool-to-you/) [Tamika-leeigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamika-leeigh/) > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [There are various orders of beauty, causing men to make fools of themselves in various styles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/there-are-various-orders-of-beauty-causing-men-to-make-fools-of/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [“Not wise, perhaps, to be rude to the Pope's favorite son, but my viper tongue still required a fool now and then on which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-quinn/not-wise-perhaps-to-be-rude-to-the-pope-s-favorite-son-but-my-viper/) [Kate Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-quinn/) > [He's a fool that marries; but he's a greater fool that does not marry a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wycherley/he-s-a-fool-that-marries-but-he-s-a-greater-fool-that-does-not-marry/) [William Wycherley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wycherley/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [A fool and his money get a lot of publicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-bernstein/a-fool-and-his-money-get-a-lot-of-publicity/) [Al Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-bernstein/) > [There are different kinds of fire; there is false fire. No one knows this better than we do, but we are not such fools…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-booth/there-are-different-kinds-of-fire-there-is-false-fire-no-one-knows/) [William Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-booth/) > [Every man must wear out at least one pair of fools shoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-derr-biggers/every-man-must-wear-out-at-least-one-pair-of-fools-shoes/) [Earl Derr Biggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-derr-biggers/) > [If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Then quit. No use being a damn fool about it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wc-fields/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-try-try-again-then-quit-no-use-being-a/) [WC Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wc-fields/) > [There is nothing that we can properly call our own but our time, and yet everybody fools us out of it who has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/there-is-nothing-that-we-can-properly-call-our-own-but-our-time-and/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [I'd be a fool to be in this for the money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-hinn/i-d-be-a-fool-to-be-in-this-for-the-money/) [Benny Hinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-hinn/) > [It is a fool of a shepherd who culls his dogs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-smith/it-is-a-fool-of-a-shepherd-who-culls-his-dogs/) [Jefferson Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-smith/) > [Prefer to be defeated in the presence of the wise than to excel among fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/prefer-to-be-defeated-in-the-presence-of-the-wise-than-to-excel-among/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A mistake doesnt make you a fool, but denying it surely makes you one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/a-mistake-doesnt-make-you-a-fool-but-denying-it-surely-makes-you-one/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) [Browse all 5,535 Fool quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A man who knows he is a fool is not a great fool.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Zhuangzi" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/a-man-who-knows-he-is-a-fool-is-not-a-great-fool/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fool" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/a-man-who-knows-he-is-a-fool-is-not-a-great-fool/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f3/zhuangzi-1341_fool_a-man-who-knows-he-is-a-fool-is-not-a-gr_2764472.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f3/zhuangzi-1341_fool_a-man-who-knows-he-is-a-fool-is-not-a-gr_2764472.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f3/zhuangzi-1341_fool_a-man-who-knows-he-is-a-fool-is-not-a-gr_2764472.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A man who knows he is a fool is not a great fool.” — Zhuangzi", "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": "Zhuangzi", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A man who knows he is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/a-man-who-knows-he-is-a-fool-is-not-a-great-fool/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/a-man-who-knows-he-is-a-fool-is-not-a-great-fool/#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 } } ] } ```