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学然后知不足

學然後知不足
xuéránhòuzhībùzú
phrase

Meanings

  1. 1 only after studying does one know one's own shortcomings
  2. 2 (fig.) learning reveals how much there is that one doesn't know
  3. 3 (lit.) study — only-then — know — not-enough

Examples

刚开始工作我很自信，学然后知不足，才明白自己差得远。
Gāng kāishǐ gōngzuò wǒ hěn zìxìn, xué ránhòu zhī bùzú, cái míngbái zìjǐ chà de yuǎn.
When I first started work I was confident — only by studying did I realize how far short I fell.
古人讲学然后知不足，教然后知困。
Gǔrén jiǎng xué ránhòu zhī bùzú, jiāo ránhòu zhī kùn.
The ancients said: 'study and then you know your shortcomings; teach and then you know your difficulties.'

Tips

history
From 《礼记·学记》 (Liji · Xueji, 'The Record of Rites — On Learning,' compiled Warring States / early Han): 虽有嘉肴，弗食不知其旨也；虽有至道，弗学不知其善也。是故学然后知不足，教然后知困 (Though there be fine food, not eating it you won't know its flavor; though there be the highest Way, not studying it you won't know its excellence. Therefore: study and then you know your insufficiency; teach and then you know your difficulty). Foundational text in the Confucian pedagogy canon.
usage
Canonically paired with 教然后知困. 然后 here is classical 'only then / thereafter,' not the modern 'and then / after that' — the construction means 'not until X does one Y.'

Stroke Order

学 xué
然 rán
后 hòu
知 zhī
不 bù
足 zú