知之為知之，不知為不知

See also: 知之为知之，不知为不知

Chinese

		to know; to be aware	's; him/her/it; this	because of; for; to because of; for; to; act as; take...to be; to be; to do; to serve as; to become	to know; to be aware	's; him/her/it; this		not; no	to know; to be aware	because of; for; to because of; for; to; act as; take...to be; to be; to do; to serve as; to become	not; no	to know; to be aware
trad. (知之為知之，不知為不知)		知	之	為	知	之	，	不	知	為	不	知
simp. (知之为知之，不知为不知)		知	之	为	知	之	，	不	知	为	不	知

Etymology

From the Analects, Book 2 (《論語·爲政》):

子曰：「由！誨女知之乎？知之為知之，不知為不知，是知也。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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子曰：「由！诲女知之乎？知之为知之，不知为不知，是知也。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Zǐyuē: “Yóu! Huì rǔ zhì zhī hū? Zhī zhī wèi zhī zhī, bùzhī wèi bùzhī, shì zhì yě.” [Pinyin]

The Master said, "You, shall I teach you what knowledge is? When you know a thing, to hold that you know it; and when you do not know a thing, to allow that you do not know it - this is knowledge."

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): zhī zhī wéi zhī zhī, bù zhī wéi bù zhī

  (Zhuyin): ㄓ ㄓ ㄨㄟˊ ㄓ ㄓ , ㄅㄨˋ ㄓ ㄨㄟˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄓ

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: zhī zhī wéi zhī zhī, bù zhī wéi bù zhī
    • Zhuyin: ㄓ ㄓ ㄨㄟˊ ㄓ ㄓ , ㄅㄨˋ ㄓ ㄨㄟˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄓ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: jhih jhih wéi jhih jhih, bù jhih wéi bù jhih
    • Wade–Giles: chih¹ chih¹ wei² chih¹ chih¹, pu⁴ chih¹ wei² pu⁴ chih¹
    • Yale: jr̄ jr̄ wéi jr̄ jr̄-, bù jr̄ wéi bù jr̄
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: jy jy wei jy jy, bu jy wei bu jy
    • Palladius: чжи чжи вэй чжи чжи, бу чжи вэй бу чжи (čži čži vɛj čži čži, bu čži vɛj bu čži)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ weɪ̯³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ pu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ weɪ̯³⁵ pu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵/

Proverb

知之為知之，不知為不知

1. You either know it or you don't (don't pretend to know it if you don't).