Chinese idiom · 成语
不耻下问
Meaning
Not ashamed to ask inferiors; to seek knowledge humbly.
Character by character
Origin and story
Philosophical dialogueIn the Analects (論語), Gongye Chang (公冶長), Zigong asks why Kong Wenzi received the posthumous designation Wen. Confucius answers that he was quick to learn, loved learning, and did not regard asking those below him as shameful. Those qualities, he says, explain the honor.
The phrase singles out willingness to learn across a hierarchy: rank or reputation should not prevent a person from seeking information from someone less senior. It praises humility without saying that every question is useful or that the person asked is generally inferior. In modern conversation, the reference to lower standing also makes it unsuitable as a careless compliment addressed to the person one is questioning.
Sources and further reading
In everyday life
经理不耻下问，常向新来的同事请教软件的用法。
The manager is willing to learn from junior staff and often asks new colleagues how to use the software.
Praise a senior person’s humility; do not use it to imply that your teacher is beneath you.