Meanings
Origin
From Thomas Gray's poem, Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College (1742): "Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise."
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic الْجَهْل نَعِيمَهُ, الْجَهْل نِعْمَة
- الْجَهْل نَعِيمَهُ (al-jahl naʕīmahu)Ignorance is bliss
- الْجَهْل نِعْمَة (al-jahl niʕma)Ignorance is bliss
Chinese Mandarin 無知是福 /无知是福, 難得糊塗 /难得糊涂
- 無知是福 /无知是福 (wúzhī shì fú)Ignorance is bliss
- 難得糊塗 /难得糊涂 (nándé hútu)Ignorance is bliss
Czech nevědomost je sladká
- nevědomost je sladkáIgnorance is bliss
Danish uvidenhed er en velsignelse
- uvidenhed er en velsignelseIgnorance is bliss
Dutch het geluk is met de onwetenden, wat niet weet, wat niet deert
- het geluk is met de onwetendenIgnorance is bliss
- wat niet weet, wat niet deertIgnorance is bliss
- Zalig zijn de onwetendenIgnorance is bliss
Esperanto senscio estas beato
- senscio estas beatoIgnorance is bliss
Finnish tieto lisää tuskaa
- tieto lisää tuskaaIgnorance is bliss
French bienheureux celui qui ne connaît pas la vérité
- bienheureux celui qui ne connaît pas la véritéIgnorance is bliss
German das ist das Glück der Unwissenden, was ich nicht weiß, macht mich nicht heiß
- das ist das Glück der UnwissendenIgnorance is bliss
- was ich nicht weiß, macht mich nicht heißIgnorance is bliss
- Unwissenheit ist SeligkeitIgnorance is bliss
Greek η άγνοια είναι ευτυχία
- η άγνοια είναι ευτυχία (i ágnoia eínai eftychía)Ignorance is bliss
Hebrew אֵין שֶׂכֶל אֵין דְּאָגוֹת
- אֵין שֶׂכֶל אֵין דְּאָגוֹת (ēn séchel ēn d'agót)Ignorance is bliss
Hungarian a tudatlanság áldás
- a tudatlanság áldásIgnorance is bliss
Italian l'ignoranza è una benedizione, beata ignoranza!
- l'ignoranza è una benedizioneIgnorance is bliss
- beata ignoranza!Ignorance is bliss
Japanese 無知は至福である, 知らぬが仏
- 無知は至福である (muchi wa shifuku de aru)Ignorance is bliss
- 知らぬが仏 (shiranu ga hotoke)Ignorance is bliss
Korean 모르는 것이 약, 아는 것이 탈
- 모르는 것이 약 (moreuneun geosi yak)Ignorance is bliss
- 아는 것이 탈 (aneun geosi tal)Ignorance is bliss
- 무지각 상팔자 (mujigak sangpalja)Ignorance is bliss
- 식자우환 (sikjauhwan)Ignorance is bliss
Lithuanian nežinojimas yra palaima
- nežinojimas yra palaimaIgnorance is bliss
Norwegian Bokmål uvitenhet er lykke
- uvitenhet er lykkeIgnorance is bliss
Persian نادانی سعادت است
- نادانی سعادت استIgnorance is bliss
Polish niewiedza to błogosławieństwo
- niewiedza to błogosławieństwoIgnorance is bliss
Portuguese a ignorância é uma bênção
- a ignorância é uma bênçãoIgnorance is bliss
Romanian ignoranța e o binecuvântare
- ignoranța e o binecuvântareIgnorance is bliss
Slovak nevedomosť je sladká
- nevedomosť je sladkáIgnorance is bliss
Spanish la ignorancia resulta en felicidad, ojos que no ven, corazón que no siente
- la ignorancia resulta en felicidadIgnorance is bliss
- ojos que no ven, corazón que no sienteIgnorance is bliss
- bienaventurado el ignoranteIgnorance is bliss
- bendita ignoranciaIgnorance is bliss
- la ignorancia es bienaventuranzaIgnorance is bliss
- la ignorancia es bienandanzaIgnorance is bliss
- la ignorancia es beatitudIgnorance is bliss
Swedish okunnighet är salighet
- okunnighet är salighetIgnorance is bliss
Thai การไม่รู้เป็นความสุข
- การไม่รู้เป็นความสุขIgnorance is bliss
Turkish cehalet saadettir
- cehalet saadettirIgnorance is bliss
Ukrainian невігластво то є щастя
- невігластво то є щастя (nevihlastvo to je ščastja)Ignorance is bliss
Vietnamese ngu si hưởng thái bình
- ngu si hưởng thái bìnhIgnorance is bliss
Cite this entry
APA
ignorance is bliss. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ignorance%20is%20bliss
MLA
“ignorance is bliss.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ignorance%20is%20bliss. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ignorance is bliss,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ignorance%20is%20bliss.
Source: ignorance is bliss on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.