QuotesCosmos
There is no evidence that Franklin said this. It is believed to originate instead from a passage in the Xunzi.
Not having heard of it is not as good as having heard of it.
Having heard of it is not as good as having seen it.
Having seen it is not as good as knowing it.
Knowing it is not as good as putting it into practice.
Learning arrives at putting it into practice and then stops.
• A similar shortened form was published in 1953 as a "Chinese adage." — [tps://quoteinvestigator.com/2019/02/27/tell/ "Quote Origin: Tell Me and I Forget"], Quote Investigator (February 27, 2019)
“

Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I may remember. Involve me and I learn.

— Benjamin Franklin

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I may remember. Involve me and I learn." in the context of "There is no evidence that Franklin said this. It is believed to originate instead from a passage in the Xunzi.
Not having heard of it is not as good as having heard of it.
Having heard of it is not as good as having seen it.
Having seen it is not as good as knowing it.
Knowing it is not as good as putting it into practice.
Learning arrives at putting it into practice and then stops.
• A similar shortened form was published in 1953 as a "Chinese adage." — [tps://quoteinvestigator.com/2019/02/27/tell/ "Quote Origin: Tell Me and I Forget"], Quote Investigator (February 27, 2019)" to mean that wisdom is timeless.

Source: Wikiquote: "Benjamin Franklin" (Attributed: Attributed: Quotes found in a reputable secondary source but not sourced to an original work. Read more at Wikiquote:Sourced and Unsourced sections.) The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app

Tags

#Benjamin Franklin#remember#involve#forget#teach#learn#tell#may
Benjamin Franklin

About Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin (17 January 1706 – 17 April 1790) was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A renowned polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, inventor, civic activist, statesman, and a diplomatic scientific and novice electrician; he was a major figure in the U.S. Enlightenment and the history of physics for his discoveries and theories regarding electricity. As an inventor, he is known for the lightning rod, for keeping bifocals fog-free, and the Franklin stove, among other inventions. He facilitated many civic organizations, including Philadelphia's fire department and the University of Pennsylvania.