实 shí — real; true; honest; really; solid
他是个老实的人。Tā shì ge lǎo shi de rén.He is an honest person.
Common words: 实现 (shí xiàn)、实在 (shí zài)、实际 (shí jì)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "honest"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "honest", including 实 (shí), 诚 (chéng). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms, common words…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "honest" covers 2 different Chinese characters — 实 (shí), 诚 (chéng) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 2 characters do not share a sound — their readings span shí, chéng — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 实 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 实 shíreal; true; honest; really; solidUseful words: 实现, 实在
- 诚 chénghonest; sincere; trueUseful words: 诚实, 诚信
Common words for these 2 "honest" characters
Anchor each of these 2 characters in a word you can picture — start with 实 (shí) — so "honest" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 2 ways to say "honest".
诚 chéng — honest; sincere; true
做人要诚实，不能说谎。Zuò rén yào chéng shí, bù néng shuō huǎng.One should be honest and not tell lies.
Common words: 诚实 (chéng shí)、诚信 (chéng xìn)、真诚 (zhēn chéng)
All 2 characters
Open 实、诚 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.