Q0134
“The Master said: Is it not a pleasure to learn and to…” — Confucius (Analects 1.1)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Analects 1.1. Theme: learning.
English
The Master said: Is it not a pleasure to learn and to practice what one has learned in due time? Is it not a joy to have friends come from afar? Is it not the mark of a gentleman to remain unresentful when others fail to appreciate one?
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Analects 1.1 and files it under Confucianism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Confucius
Confucius (Kong Qiu, 551–479 BCE) taught in the late Spring and Autumn period amid the Zhou order’s political fragmentation. Born in the state of Lu, he briefly held local office and then spent years seeking rulers who would adopt ritual-based, virtue-centered government.
How to read this passage
Education is not only information transfer; it is the shaping of attention and character. Confucian learning, Socratic midwifery, and Deweyan growth offer rival models. This passage enters that discussion through learning.
Concepts in this quote
- Learning
- Learning is philosophy’s practical twin: how judgment is formed through study, error, dialogue, and habit.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Confucius. (n.d.). The Master said: Is it not a pleasure to learn and to practice what one has learned in due time? Is it not a joy to have friends come from afar? Is it not the mark of a gentleman to remain unresentful when others fail to appreciate one? In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0134
MLA: Confucius. “The Master said: Is it not a pleasure….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0134.
Chicago: Confucius. “The Master said: Is it not a pleasure….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0134.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “The Master said: Is it not a pleasure…”?
The passage is attributed to Confucius, Analects 1.1. The archive attributes this English wording to Analects 1.1 and files it under Confucianism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Confucius mean by learning?
Education is not only information transfer; it is the shaping of attention and character. Confucian learning, Socratic midwifery, and Deweyan growth offer rival models. This passage enters that discussion through learning.