好之者不如乐之者

好之者不如樂之者
hàozhīzhěbùrúlèzhīzhě
phrase

Meanings

  1. 1 one who likes it is no match for one who takes joy in it
  2. 2 passion beats mere preference
  3. 3 Confucian ranking: know it < like it < love it

Examples

Xuéxí yě shì yíyàng, hào zhī zhě bù rú lè zhī zhě.
Learning is the same way — those who like it can't match those who delight in it.
Tā rè'ài zhè fèn gōngzuò, zhèng yìngle hào zhī zhě bù rú lè zhī zhě.
He genuinely loves this work — the saying 'the one who likes it is outdone by the one who loves it' fits him perfectly.

Tips

history
From 《·》 (Analects, 'Yongye'): 不如不如 — 'One who knows it is outdone by one who likes it; one who likes it is outdone by one who delights in it.' Confucius's famous three-tier hierarchy of engagement, constantly quoted in Chinese education and self-help writing.
usage
here is read hào (4th tone, 'to like, be fond of'), NOT hǎo (3rd tone, 'good'). is lè ('to enjoy'), not yuè ('music'). is classical 'it.' Almost always quoted together with 不如.

Stroke Order

hǎo
zhī
zhě