Chinese Idiom: 不耻下问 (Bu Chi Xia Wen)
English Translation: Not Ashamed to Ask Questions
pīn yīn: bù chǐ xià wèn
Idiom Meaning: To be open to learning from those who are less knowledgeable or of lower status; to be humble and eager to seek knowledge regardless of the source.
Historical Source: The Analects of Confucius (《论语·公冶长第五》)
Idiom Story:
During the Spring and Autumn period, in the state of Wei, there was a virtuous and scholarly official named Kong Yin (孔圉). He was known for his humility and eagerness to learn. After his death, the ruler of Wei wanted to honor his dedication to learning by bestowing upon him the posthumous title “Wen” (文), which means “cultured” or “learned.”
However, the scholar Zigong questioned the appropriateness of this title, suggesting that Kong Yin might have had flaws that made him undeserving of such high praise. He approached Confucius to seek clarification on why Kong Yin was deserving of the title “Wen.”
Confucius explained, “敏而好学，不耻下问，是以谓之文也。” This means: “Kong Yin was intelligent and eager to learn. He did not consider it shameful to ask questions of those who were lower in status or knowledge than himself. Such qualities make him worthy of being called ‘Wen.’”
This story highlights the virtue of being humble and willing to learn from anyone, regardless of their status or knowledge level, which led to the creation of the idiom “不耻下问.”
