How to Read “知恵は小出しにせよ”
Chie wa kodashi ni seyo
Meaning of “知恵は小出しにせよ”
“Wisdom should be given out little by little” is a teaching that rather than imparting all of one’s knowledge and wisdom to someone at once, it should be conveyed gradually according to the recipient’s level of understanding and stage of growth.
This proverb is often used in educational and instructional contexts. Excellent leaders give only as much knowledge as the recipient can digest, and proceed to the next stage only after it has been sufficiently absorbed. If too much information is given at once, the recipient becomes confused, and their understanding becomes shallow instead. Moreover, by teaching gradually, the recipient can firmly make each piece of knowledge their own and develop the ability to apply it. Even today, excellent teachers and supervisors provide necessary knowledge at appropriate timing according to their subordinates’ and students’ growth. This is consideration for others and true educational thoughtfulness.
Origin and Etymology
Regarding the origin of “Wisdom should be given out little by little,” the clear literary source is actually uncertain. However, it is believed that the background of this proverb’s creation is deeply connected to Japan’s traditional master-disciple relationships and artisan culture.
In the artisan society of the Edo period, there was a custom of not teaching all techniques and knowledge at once, but gradually passing them down according to the disciple’s stage of growth. This was not mere withholding, but an educational method to ensure that disciples could reliably acquire skills and understand their value.
Additionally, Japan has long had the concept of “secret teachings,” where the most important knowledge and techniques were kept secret until the end and transmitted only after the disciple had sufficiently matured. This way of thinking has been passed down in many traditional arts such as tea ceremony, flower arrangement, and martial arts.
Furthermore, Confucian influence cannot be overlooked. As in Confucius’s teaching “learn and practice it from time to time,” the idea that knowledge should be accumulated gradually was deeply rooted in Japanese educational philosophy. It is presumed that within such cultural background, this proverb became established as one that preached the importance of not revealing all wisdom at once, but teaching little by little according to the recipient’s level of understanding.
Usage Examples
- Let’s teach newcomers from the basics and give wisdom little by little
- Rather than telling him everything at once, it would be better to give wisdom little by little
Modern Interpretation
In modern society, the meaning of this proverb “Wisdom should be given out little by little” has undergone significant changes. With the advent of the information society, many people have come to hold the values that “all information should be disclosed” and “transparency is important.” Particularly with the spread of the internet, it has become commonplace for knowledge and information to be shared instantaneously.
In the business world too, open source thinking and knowledge sharing are emphasized, and actively sharing knowledge rather than monopolizing it is considered to lead to organizational growth. In educational settings as well, methods that expose children to a wide range of knowledge according to their interests and concerns are gaining attention, rather than traditional step-by-step learning.
However, on the other hand, the original wisdom of this proverb is still fully applicable in modern times. When we see people troubled by information overload on social media, or new employees confused by being crammed with large amounts of information at once during training, the importance of conveying appropriate amounts of knowledge at appropriate timing is reaffirmed.
In modern times, many people misunderstand “giving wisdom little by little” as “withholding information,” but originally it is deep wisdom that considers the recipient and educational effectiveness. Perhaps because we live in a digital age, this old wisdom may hold new value.
When AI Hears This
In modern attention economics, human focus is considered a precious resource limited to approximately 4 hours of concentrated attention per day. In our information-overload society where countless sources compete for this limited “attention currency,” the gradual sharing of wisdom is actually the most scientifically sound strategy.
According to cognitive load theory, human working memory can only process 7±2 pieces of information simultaneously. When we attempt to convey large amounts of wisdom at once, the recipient’s cognitive system becomes overloaded, resulting in nothing being retained in memory. Netflix’s “next episode” feature that keeps viewers hooked and TikTok’s 15-second videos that capture attention both cleverly exploit these cognitive limitations.
Even more fascinating is a phenomenon called the “serial position effect.” Since people best remember information presented at the beginning and end, breaking wisdom into smaller portions and delivering it across multiple sessions results in memory retention rates that are three times higher than sharing everything at once. The effectiveness of “teaser strategies” and “serialized formats” in modern content marketing is based precisely on this psychological principle.
What ancient people knew through experience—the gradual sharing of wisdom—turns out to be the optimal solution proven by modern neuroscience and marketing theory.
Lessons for Today
What “Wisdom should be given out little by little” teaches us today is what true consideration really means. If you truly care about someone, rather than showing off your knowledge, it’s important to cherish the pace at which they can grow.
In modern society, because we can easily share information on social media, we tend to want to express all our knowledge and experience at once. But try thinking from the other person’s perspective. How would you feel when receiving large amounts of information all at once?
This proverb can be applied not only in educational and instructional situations, but also in daily communication. When listening to a friend’s concerns, teaching work to a subordinate, or conveying something to a child. Looking at the recipient’s level of understanding and emotional state, and sharing just the necessary amount of wisdom. That is true kindness.
There’s also the saying “more haste, less speed,” and wisdom is the same. By taking time to convey it carefully, it reaches the recipient’s heart more deeply and leads to true growth. Why don’t you try changing how you convey wisdom to important people in your life starting today?
Comments