諺語 · a single proverb
不怕不知道，就怕不學習
What does 不怕不知道，就怕不學習 (bù pà bù zhī dào jiù pà bù xué xí) mean?
不怕不知道，就怕不學習 (bù pà bù zhī dào jiù pà bù xué xí) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "not afraid of not knowing, just afraid of not studying." In use it means: Ignorance is not the problem; the refusal to learn is. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Wood note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Monkey.
Literally: "not afraid of not knowing, just afraid of not studying."
The reading
Not knowing is the natural starting condition of the mind that has not yet encountered the thing it does not know. The refusal to learn is different: it is the choice to keep the ignorance, to actively maintain the gap. The first is normal; the second is a decision, and it has consequences that multiply with time. Not knowing is fine. Choosing to stay not knowing is not.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Traditional Chinese folk proverb
Sits beside
Keep reading
Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Wisdom & Learning, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Monkey, Year of the Frog, and Year of the Rat.
Questions
Is 不怕不知道，就怕不學習 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 不怕不知道，就怕不學習 (bù pà bù zhī dào jiù pà bù xué xí) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Traditional Chinese folk proverb. It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 不怕不知道，就怕不學習?
In Mandarin it is bù pà bù zhī dào jiù pà bù xué xí. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 不怕不知道，就怕不學習 aloud in Mandarin.