Laozi, Tao Te Ching, Ch. 1, as interpreted by Stephen Mitchell (1992).

The unnameable is the eternally real. Naming is the origin of all particular things.

— Laozi on Names

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "The unnameable is the eternally real. Naming is the origin of all particular things." in the context of "Laozi, Tao Te Ching, Ch. 1, as interpreted by Stephen Mitchell (1992)." to mean that wisdom is timeless.

Quote Image
Source: Wikiquote: "Names" (Quotes) The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
Laozi

About Laozi

老子 Lǎozi (c. 6th – 5th century BC) was a Chinese monist philosopher; also called Lao Zi, Lao Tzu, Lao Tse, or Lao Tze. The Tao Te Ching (道德經, Pinyin: Dào Dé Jīng, or Dao De Jing) represents the sole document generally attributed to Laozi.