諺語 · a single proverb
知人者智，自知者明
What does 知人者智，自知者明 (zhī rén zhě zhì zì zhī zhě míng) mean?
知人者智，自知者明 (zhī rén zhě zhì zì zhī zhě míng) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞). Word for word it reads "knowing others is wisdom; knowing oneself is enlightenment." In use it means: True intelligence is understanding others; true wisdom is understanding yourself. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Water note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Ox.
Literally: "knowing others is wisdom; knowing oneself is enlightenment."
The reading
It is easy to read a room. It takes longer to read yourself in the room. The person who can do both moves through the world without constant correction-they already know what needs adjusting before anyone has to tell them.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Tao Te Ching 道德經, ch. 33 (Laozi)
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 Humility & Self-Mastery, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Ox, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Tiger.
Questions
Is 知人者智，自知者明 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 知人者智，自知者明 (zhī rén zhě zhì zì zhī zhě míng) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞), and it comes from Tao Te Ching 道德經, ch. 33 (Laozi). 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 知人者智，自知者明?
In Mandarin it is zhī rén zhě zhì zì zhī zhě míng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 知人者智，自知者明 aloud in Mandarin.