绝知此事要躬行

絕知此事要躬行
jué zhī cǐ shì yào gōng xíng
quotation

Meanings

  1. 1 to truly understand something, you must practice it yourself
  2. 2 to know this matter with certainty, one must do it in person

Examples

HSK 7-9
Xué biānchéng bù néng zhǐ kàn shìpín, jué zhī cǐ shì yào gōngxíng.
Learning to program isn't just watching videos - you truly know it only by doing it yourself.
HSK 7-9
Lǎoshī cháng shuō: zhǐ shàng délái zhōng jué qiǎn, jué zhī cǐ shì yào gōngxíng.
The teacher often says: what you get from paper feels shallow - you really know it only by practicing.

Tips

history
From 陆游's Southern Song poem 《冬夜读书示子聿》: 纸上得来终觉浅,绝知此事要躬行. (What is learned on paper always feels shallow; to truly know a thing you must do it yourself.) One of the most quoted lines in modern Chinese education.
usage
Usually paired with the preceding line 纸上得来终觉浅. 躬行 = to practise personally, with one's own body - the adverb is classical for 'in person.'

Stroke Order

jué
zhī
shì
yào
gōng
xíng