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Chinese/Dictionary entry

知人者智，自知者明

zhī rén zhě zhì , zì zhī zhě míngdictionary entry
DEFINITION CC-CEDICT
those who understand others are intelligent, but those who know themselves are truly wise (idiom, from Laozi's 道德經|道德经[Dào dé jīng])
Sources & editorial notes

Reference definitions: CC-CEDICT contributors and MDBG, CC BY-SA 4.0. Source release 2026-10-27T01:55:52Z. Imported 2026-10-27. Definition wording and meaning order are retained. Recognized pronunciation references are displayed with tone marks; the original source record is available below.

Source record: cd-43d0fea5b6c9e822. Source SHA-256: bbc4b27f26bee1a262f4d7939667a040c7857c7fc0200a2fa7a86d3352a09eae.

Original source entry:

知人者智，自知者明 知人者智，自知者明 [zhi1 ren2 zhe3 zhi4 , zi4 zhi1 zhe3 ming2] /those who understand others are intelligent, but those who know themselves are truly wise (idiom, from Laozi's 道德經|道德经[Dao4 de2 jing1])/

Reference definitions and teaching material have separate provenance.

Reference information

The definitions above are from CC-CEDICT. Examples and usage notes are available on selected entries.

Character information

View the individual characters. Their meanings do not necessarily explain the meaning of the whole word.

  • 知
    zhī

    to know / to be aware

  • 人
  • 者
    zhě

    (after a verb or adjective) one who (is) ... / (after a noun) person involved in ... / -er / -ist / (used after a number or 後|后[hòu] or 前[qián] to refer to sth mentioned previously) / (used after a term, to mark a pause before defining the term) / (old) (used at the end of a command) / (old) this

  • 智
    zhì

    (literary) wise / wisdom

  • 自
    zì

    (bound form) self / oneself / from / since / naturally / as a matter of course

  • 知
    zhī

    to know / to be aware

  • 者
    zhě

    (after a verb or adjective) one who (is) ... / (after a noun) person involved in ... / -er / -ist / (used after a number or 後|后[hòu] or 前[qián] to refer to sth mentioned previously) / (used after a term, to mark a pause before defining the term) / (old) (used at the end of a command) / (old) this

  • 明
    míng

    bright / opposite: dark 暗[àn] / (of meaning) clear / to understand / next / public or open / wise / generic term for a sacrifice to the gods

    Míng

    Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) / surname Ming / Ming (c. 2000 BC), fourth of the legendary Flame Emperors, 炎帝[Yán dì] descended from Shennong 神農|神农[Shén nóng] Farmer God

Reference definitions from CC-CEDICT.