Know vs. Understand — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on August 19, 2023
To know is to be aware of facts or information; to understand is to grasp the meaning, significance, or reasoning behind such facts.
Difference Between Know and Understand
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Knowing is about awareness and possession of facts, details, or skills acquired through experience or education. Understanding goes deeper and refers to comprehending the significance, implications, or conceptual framework behind the information.
To know a language might mean one can speak and write in it. They might be able to translate words or follow a conversation. Understanding that language, on the other hand, implies a deeper connection. It means grasping the cultural nuances, idioms, and the emotion behind the words. It's not just about translating, but feeling the sentiment and culture that comes with the language.
For someone to say they know a person implies familiarity. They recognize them, know certain traits, and perhaps some facts about their life. But understanding a person means diving into their motivations, emotions, and behaviors. It's about empathy and connecting with their experiences and feelings on a deeper level.
In mathematics, you might know an equation, meaning you've memorized it. Understanding that equation, however, means you can explain its applications, derive it, or discuss its implications. You get the logic and principles that fuel that particular equation.
Comparison Chart
Definition
Awareness or possession of facts or details.
Grasping the meaning or reasoning behind facts.
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Depth
Surface-level recognition.
Deeper comprehension and connection.
Language Context
Ability to speak or write in a language.
Grasping cultural nuances and idioms.
Relationship Context
Familiarity with someone's traits or facts.
Empathy and connection with their experiences.
Academic Context
Memorization of information or skills.
Ability to explain, apply, or discuss deeply.
Compare with Definitions
Know
To have direct cognition, firsthand experience of something.
I know the pain of losing a loved one.
Understand
To grasp the meaning or reason of something.
I understand the concept behind the theory.
Know
To discern the character or nature of
Knew him for a liar.
Understand
To infer or perceive the intended meaning of someone's words or actions.
I understand what you're implying with that remark.
Know
Perceive as familiar;
I know this voice!
Understand
To comprehend the significance or implications of a fact or idea.
Do you understand the risks involved?
Know
To recognize by some marks or qualities.
I know him by his distinct voice.
Understand
To interpret in one of its possible senses or meanings.
I understand the poem differently than you do.
Know
(transitive) To perceive the truth or factuality of; to be certain of or that.
I know that I’m right and you’re wrong.
He knew something terrible was going to happen.
Understand
To be sympathetically aware of others' feelings.
I understand how you feel after such a loss.
Know
To be familiar or acquainted with someone or something.
I know Spanish, so I can translate for you.
Understand
To assume to be or accept as agreed
It is understood that the fee will be $50.
Know
To have experience of
“a black stubble that had known no razor” (William Faulkner).
Understand
Perceive the intended meaning of (words, a language, or a speaker)
He didn't understand a word I said
She understood what he was saying
He could usually make himself understood
Know
To perceive as familiar; recognize
I know that face.
Understand
Interpret or view (something) in a particular way
As the term is usually understood, legislation refers to regulations and directives
Know
(Archaic) To have sexual intercourse with.
Understand
Believe to be the case;
I understand you have no previous experience?
Know
Be familiar or acquainted with a person or an object;
She doesn't know this composer
Do you know my sister?
We know this movie
I know him under a different name
This flower is known as a Peruvian Lily
Understand
Be understanding of;
You don't need to explain--I understand!
Know
Have firsthand knowledge of states, situations, emotions, or sensations;
I know the feeling!
Have you ever known hunger?
I have lived a kind of hell when I was a drug addict
The holocaust survivors have lived a nightmare
I lived through two divorces
Understand
Be sympathetically or knowledgeably aware of the character or nature of
I understand how you feel
Picasso understood colour
Know
Accept (someone) to be what is claimed or accept his power and authority;
The Crown Prince was acknowledged as the true heir to the throne
We do not recognize your gods
Understand
To become aware of the nature and significance of; know or comprehend
She understands the difficulty involved.
Know
To possess knowledge or understanding about something.
She knows a lot about marine biology.
Understand
To become aware of the intended meaning of (a person or remark, for example)
We understand what they're saying.
We just disagree with it. When he began describing his eccentric theories, we could no longer understand him.
Know
To have sexual relations with. This meaning normally specified in modern English as e.g. to ’know someone in the biblical sense’ or to ‘know biblically.’
Understand
To know and be tolerant or sympathetic toward
Hoped that they would understand my complaint.
Know
Have sexual intercourse with;
This student sleeps with everyone in her dorm
Adam knew Eve
Were you ever intimate with this man?
Understand
To know thoroughly by close contact or long experience with
That teacher understands children. I understand the basics of car repair.
Know
To be aware of something as a fact or truth.
I know that the Earth revolves around the sun.
Understand
To learn indirectly or infer, as from hearsay
I understand his departure was unexpected. Am I to understand you are staying the night?.
Know
Be aware of through observation, inquiry, or information
I know what I'm doing
Most people know that CFCs can damage the ozone layer
Understand
To supply or add (words or a meaning, for example) mentally
A verb is understood at the end of the statement "Yes, let's.".
Know
Have developed a relationship with (someone) through meeting and spending time with them; be familiar or friendly with
He knew and respected Laura
Understand
To have understanding, knowledge, or comprehension.
Know
Have sexual intercourse with (someone).
Understand
To have sympathy or tolerance
You're upset. I understand.
Know
To perceive directly; grasp in the mind with clarity or certainty.
Understand
To learn something indirectly or secondhand; gather.
Know
To regard as true beyond doubt
I know she won't fail.
Understand
To believe, to think one grasps sufficiently despite potentially incomplete knowledge.
I understand that you have a package for me?
In the imperative mood, the word “you” is usually understood.
Know
To have a practical understanding of, as through experience; be skilled in
Knows how to cook.
Understand
To stand underneath, to support.
Know
To have fixed in the mind
Knows her Latin verbs.
Understand
To have just and adequate ideas of; to apprehended the meaning or intention of; to have knowledge of; to comprehend; to know; as, to understand a problem in Euclid; to understand a proposition or a declaration; the court understands the advocate or his argument; to understand the sacred oracles; to understand a nod or a wink.
Speaketh [i. e., speak thou] so plain at this time, I you pray,That we may understande what ye say.
I understand not what you mean by this.
Understood not all was but a show.
A tongue not understanded of the people.
Know
To be acquainted with
He doesn't know his neighbors.
Understand
To be apprised, or have information, of; to learn; to be informed of; to hear; as, I understand that Congress has passed the bill.
Know
To be able to distinguish; recognize as distinct
Knows right from wrong.
Understand
To recognize or hold as being or signifying; to suppose to mean; to interpret; to explain.
The most learned interpreters understood the words of sin, and not of Abel.
Know
To possess knowledge, understanding, or information.
Understand
To mean without expressing; to imply tacitly; to take for granted; to assume.
War, then, war,Open or understood, must be resolved.
Know
To be cognizant or aware.
Understand
To have the use of the intellectual faculties; to be an intelligent being.
Imparadised in you, in whom aloneI understand, and grow, and see.
Know
(transitive) To be aware of; to be cognizant of.
Did you know Michelle and Jack were getting divorced? ― Yes, I knew.
She knows where I live.
I knew he was upset, but I didn't understand why.
Understand
Make sense of a language;
She understands French
Can you read Greek?
Know
(transitive) To be acquainted or familiar with; to have encountered.
I know your mother, but I’ve never met your father.
Understand
(transitive) To grasp a concept fully in one's mind, especially (of words, statements, art, etc.) to be aware of the meaning of and (of people) to be aware of the intent of.
I'm sorry. I don't understand.
Please try to understand. It's not you, it's me.
Know
(transitive) To experience.
Their relationship knew ups and downs.
Understand
To stand under; to support.
Know
(transitive) To be able to distinguish, to discern, particularly by contrast or comparison; to recognize the nature of.}}
To know a person's face or figure
To know right from wrong
I wouldn't know one from the other.
Understand
To be informed; to have or receive knowledge.
I came to Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah.
Know
(transitive) To recognize as the same (as someone or something previously encountered) after an absence or change.
Understand
Know and comprehend the nature or meaning of;
She did not understand her husband
I understand what she means
Know
To understand or have a grasp of through experience or study.
Let me do it. I know how it works.
She knows how to swim.
His mother tongue is Italian, but he also knows French and English.
She knows chemistry better than anybody else.
Know your enemy and know yourself.
Understand
Perceive (an idea or situation) mentally;
Now I see!
I just can't see your point
Does she realize how important this decision is?
I don't understand the idea
Know
(intransitive) To have knowledge; to have information, be informed.
It is vital that he not know.
She knew of our plan.
He knows about 19th century politics.
Know
(intransitive) To be or become aware or cognizant.
Did you know Michelle and Jack were getting divorced? ― Yes, I knew.
Know
To be acquainted (with another person).
Know
(transitive) To be able to play or perform (a song or other piece of music).
Do you know "Blueberry Hill"?
Know
(rare) Knowledge; the state of knowing.
Know
Knowledge; the state of knowing; now confined to the fixed phrase ‘in the know’
Know
Knee.
Know
To perceive or apprehend clearly and certainly; to understand; to have full information of; as, to know one's duty.
O, that a man might knowThe end of this day's business ere it come!
There is a certainty in the proposition, and we know it.
Know how sublime a thing it isTo suffer and be strong.
Know
To be convinced of the truth of; to be fully assured of; as, to know things from information.
Know
To be acquainted with; to be no stranger to; to be more or less familiar with the person, character, etc., of; to possess experience of; as, to know an author; to know the rules of an organization.
He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin.
Not to know me argues yourselves unknown.
Know
To recognize; to distinguish; to discern the character of; as, to know a person's face or figure.
Ye shall know them by their fruits.
And their eyes were opened, and they knew him.
To knowFaithful friend from flattering foe.
At nearer view he thought he knew the dead.
Know
To have sexual intercourse with.
And Adam knew Eve his wife.
And I knew that thou hearest me always.
The monk he instantly knew to be the prior.
In other hands I have known money do good.
Know
To have knowledge; to have a clear and certain perception; to possess wisdom, instruction, or information; - often with of.
Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.
If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
The peasant folklore of Europe still knows of willows that bleed and weep and speak when hewn.
Know
To be assured; to feel confident.
Know
Be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about;
I know that the President lied to the people
I want to know who is winning the game!
I know it's time
Know
Know how to do or perform something;
She knows how to knit
Does your husband know how to cook?
Know
Be aware of the truth of something; have a belief or faith in something; regard as true beyond any doubt;
I know that I left the key on the table
Galileo knew that the earth moves around the sun
Know
Have fixed in the mind;
I know Latin
This student knows her irregular verbs
Do you know the poem well enough to recite it?
Know
Know the nature or character of;
We all knew her as a big show-off
Know
Be able to distinguish, recognize as being different;
The child knows right from wrong
Common Curiosities
In what contexts is "know" typically used?
Know is typically used in contexts where one is referring to awareness familiarity or possession of specific information such as "I know her name" or "I know the capital of France".
Is it possible to understand something without knowing it?
It's rare but one might have an intuitive grasp or understanding of a concept without having explicit knowledge or details about it.
How do "know" and "understand" relate in terms of cognitive processes?
To know is an initial step in the cognitive process where one becomes aware or familiar with information whereas to understand is a deeper more involved process where one internalizes and makes sense of the information.
How is "understand" defined?
Understand means to grasp the meaning, reason, or significance of something or to fully comprehend what is being conveyed.
Can one "know" something without understanding it?
Yes one can know something like a fact or a piece of information without fully understanding its implications or deeper meaning.
How is "understand" different from "know"?
While "know" refers to possessing information or being aware "understand" goes deeper and involves comprehending the nuances or significance of the information.
Can "know" and "understand" be used interchangeably?
While in casual conversation they might be used interchangeably there are distinct differences between the two in terms of depth and comprehension. Knowing is more surface-level while understanding implies a deeper connection and comprehension.
What is the basic definition of "know"?
Know refers to being aware of something or having information, facts, or knowledge about a particular subject, person, or thing.
Which is deeper: to "know" someone or to "understand" someone?
To "understand" someone is deeper as it implies a profound grasp of their thoughts feelings and motivations whereas to "know" someone might simply refer to being familiar with them or having some basic information about them.
When is "understand" most commonly used?
Understand is commonly used when discussing the comprehension or grasping of concepts ideas or meanings such as "I understand the theory" or "Do you understand the implications?".
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
