proverb · Legacy record
It is not disgraceful to ask, it is worse not to know.
It is not disgraceful to ask, it is worse not to know.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Asking denied disgrace and not knowing called worse gives inquiry priority over embarrassment. The saying encourages seeking understanding rather than concealing a gap.
What the words are saying
A responsible interpretation does not turn lack of knowledge into low worth. Questions should be welcome, and circumstances can make asking difficult. A useful application supports accessible explanation instead of blaming someone for uncertainty or treating every question as already answerable.
Everyday example
A teacher answers a hesitant question without ridicule and checks what further context is needed.
When to use it
Use it to make inquiry welcome without shaming uncertainty.
Put a useful idea into practice: try the free seven-day guide ↗
What it does not mean
No human inferiority from a knowledge gap or fault in difficulty asking is established.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Historical period not yet established
No sufficiently supported historical placement has been established. Import and download dates are not treated as composition dates. - Recorded source
- Contributor-provided wisdom reference (2014 AD)
Supplied reference B; unit 496; PDF page 47; collection label: Ottoman Empire/Turkey
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- Ottoman Empire/Turkey