好之者不如乐之者

好之者不如樂之者
hào zhī zhě bù rú lè zhī zhě
quotation

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

HSK 3
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.
HSK 7-9
Tā rè'ài zhè fèn gōngzuò, zhèng yìng le 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 《论语·雍也》 (Analects, 'Yongye'): 知之者不如好之者,好之者不如乐之者 - '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
好 here is read hào (4th tone, 'to like, be fond of'), NOT hǎo (3rd tone, 'good'). 乐 is lè ('to enjoy'), not yuè ('music'). 之 is classical 'it.' Almost always quoted together with 知之者不如好之者.

Stroke Order

好 hǎo
之 zhī
者 zhě
不 bù
如 rú
乐 lè