
ProverbWisdom
International origin
He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask remains a fool forever
Meaning: Admitting ignorance and seeking knowledge is always wiser than pretending to understand.
Origin: Circulated in English as a Chinese proverb or a saying of Confucius, but no Chinese source for it has been found. A close match is the Japanese proverb kiku wa ittoki no haji, kikanu wa isshō no haji — to ask is a moment's shame, not to ask is a lifetime's shame.
Equivalents in German
German: Wer nicht fragt, bleibt dumm (literally: He who does not ask stays stupid)
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