诚实 (chéngshí) — honest / honesty

诚实 (chéngshí)

诚实 describes a person or behavior that is honest and truthful, free from deception. It is mostly used as an adjective to describe character, and can also function as a noun referring to the quality of honesty itself.

Meanings

1. [adjective] Honest; truthful; sincere; not deceptive.
2. [noun] Honesty; truthfulness (as a moral quality).

Example Sentences

他是一个非常诚实的人。 Tā shì yīgè fēicháng chéngshí de rén. He is a very honest person.

做人要诚实，不能说谎。 Zuòrén yào chéngshí, bù néng shuōhuǎng. One must be honest in life and must not lie.

她诚实地告诉了我真实情况。 Tā chéngshí de gàosù le wǒ zhēnshí qíngkuàng. She honestly told me the real situation.

诚实是最重要的品质之一。 Chéngshí shì zuì zhòngyào de pǐnzhì zhī yī. Honesty is one of the most important qualities.

Collocations

Memory Hook

诚 has the speech radical 讠 plus 成 (to accomplish) — your words accomplish what you say. 实 means "real / solid." Honest words are solid and real, not hollow promises.