<p>Normally we use 认识 when we say: I know this person.
And we use 知道 when we say: I know this place.</p>
<p>知道 vs 认识:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>About &quot;people&quot;:</p>
<ul>
<li>知道: Emphasis unilateral;</li>
<li>认识: Emphasis bilateral.</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
<img src="https://i.sstatic.net/SgudQm.png">
</blockquote>
</li>
<li><p>知道 can always be used about knowledge or information.</p>
</li>
</ol>
<p>You can check <a href="http://www.hanbridgemandarin.com/course/demo/zhidao-renshi-mingbai" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this Hanbridge Chinese video</a> about how to differentiate the 知道 and 认识.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-21T17:52:41.853Z
Nice explanation. Just one comment, 认识 can also be used on places. For example,  A： 你认识这个地方吗？(Do you know this place?)   B：认识，我以前来过这里。(Yes, I've been here before.)
Xiang Zhao
CC BY-SA 4.0
2017-07-12T06:20:47.867Z
2020-10-14T01:25:32.480Z
2020-10-14T01:25:32.480Z
katherine li
<p>知道 means you have idea about something.</p>

<p>认识 means you have seen something, so you can recognize it.</p>

<p>So I 知道 president Trump, But I don't 认识 him. (in life)</p>

<p>And I 知道 White House, and I won't say I 认识 it or not. Because I have never been there,  it does not make too much sense only seen it in photo. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-21T14:38:53.633Z
2017-07-21T14:38:53.633Z
sfy
<p>When you meet someone you're supposed to use 認識 as in 很高興知道你, but someone said you can also use 知道 when talking about people or places.</p>

<p>For example, "I know that place" or "I know that person."</p>

<p>When discussing whether you know some person or some place (e.g., restaurant), what are the rules governing when you should use 知道 or 認識?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-10T19:47:08.993Z
Possible duplicate of [认识 vs 知道 based on etymology](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/22253/%e8%ae%a4%e8%af%86-vs-%e7%9f%a5%e9%81%93-based-on-etymology)
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-10T19:53:21.277Z
@TangHo thanks, cannot read simplified so didn't know it was a dupe. :) so the same rules apply for people or places? i.e., if i have been to a place should use 認識 but if i only have heard of it i should use 知道?
Crashalot
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-10T19:56:32.333Z
yes, you can 認識 a person or 認識 a place; you can also 知道 a person or 知道 a place-- both 'a person' and  'a place' can be the object in a sentence
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-10T20:08:40.620Z
識得 is more common than 認識 for 'know a place''  . Also, there are difference between 認得一個地方 (recognize a place) and  識得一個地方(I know a place).
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-10T20:10:24.303Z
認識一個地方 means ' to know a place' 
 
識得一個地方 means ' know a place'
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-11T12:54:07.567Z
Usually a foreign language learner sees the language he learns in a much different perspective than the native speaker of that language. So it is not easy to give you the proper answer. I can only say that after you read a lot in that language you will find the difference and know how to use them properly.
NanningYouth
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-02T02:24:07.687Z
認識 means you had seen it or you had reached there in past. 知道 means you know he/it (you heard him by newspapers/from others, but haven't seen him).
Daniel Yang
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-14T03:22:16.260Z
to know vs to know of
小奥利奥
<usage><difference>
When do you use 知道 vs 認識 when discussing when you know someone or some thing?
# When do you use 知道 vs 認識 when discussing when you know someone or some thing?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-07-10)

When you meet someone you're supposed to use 認識 as in 很高興知道你, but someone said you can also use 知道 when talking about people or places.

For example, "I know that place" or "I know that person."

When discussing whether you know some person or some place (e.g., restaurant), what are the rules governing when you should use 知道 or 認識?

**Tags:** usage, difference

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Possible duplicate of [认识 vs 知道 based on etymology](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/22253/%e8%ae%a4%e8%af%86-vs-%e7%9f%a5%e9%81%93-based-on-etymology)  
> **username_0**: @TangHo thanks, cannot read simplified so didn't know it was a dupe. :) so the same rules apply for people or places? i.e., if i have been to a place should use 認識 but if i only have heard of it i should use 知道?  
> **username_1**: yes, you can 認識 a person or 認識 a place; you can also 知道 a person or 知道 a place-- both 'a person' and  'a place' can be the object in a sentence  
> **username_1**: 識得 is more common than 認識 for 'know a place''  . Also, there are difference between 認得一個地方 (recognize a place) and  識得一個地方(I know a place).  
> **username_1**: 認識一個地方 means ' to know a place'    識得一個地方 means ' know a place'  
> **username_2**: Usually a foreign language learner sees the language he learns in a much different perspective than the native speaker of that language. So it is not easy to give you the proper answer. I can only say that after you read a lot in that language you will find the difference and know how to use them properly.  
> **username_3**: 認識 means you had seen it or you had reached there in past. 知道 means you know he/it (you heard him by newspapers/from others, but haven't seen him).  
> **username_4**: to know vs to know of  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2017-07-12. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

Normally we use 认识 when we say: I know this person.
And we use 知道 when we say: I know this place.

知道 vs 认识:

1. About "people":

   * 知道: Emphasis unilateral;
   * 认识: Emphasis bilateral.
   > ![](https://i.sstatic.net/SgudQm.png)
2. 知道 can always be used about knowledge or information.

You can check [this Hanbridge Chinese video](http://www.hanbridgemandarin.com/course/demo/zhidao-renshi-mingbai) about how to differentiate the 知道 and 认识.

> **Comments:**
> **username_6**: Nice explanation. Just one comment, 认识 can also be used on places. For example,  A： 你认识这个地方吗？(Do you know this place?)   B：认识，我以前来过这里。(Yes, I've been here before.)  

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### Answer by username_7 on 2017-07-21. Score: 0

知道 means you have idea about something.

认识 means you have seen something, so you can recognize it.

So I 知道 president Trump, But I don't 认识 him. (in life)

And I 知道 White House, and I won't say I 认识 it or not. Because I have never been there, it does not make too much sense only seen it in photo.


---

