诚信 (chéngxìn) — integrity; good faith
HSK 5 | noun | honesty and trustworthiness; acting in good faith
诚信 (chéngxìn)
诚信 encapsulates the twin virtues of honesty (诚) and trustworthiness (信), and is one of the most highly valued concepts in Chinese social and business ethics, frequently invoked in discussions of personal character, business conduct, and societal values.
Meanings
- [noun] integrity; good faith; honesty and trustworthiness
Example Sentences
诚信是做人的基本原则。 Chéngxìn shì zuòrén de jīběn yuánzé. Integrity is a fundamental principle of being a good person.
这家公司以诚信经营赢得了客户的信赖。 Zhè jiā gōngsī yǐ chéngxìn jīngyíng yíngdé le kèhù de xìnlài. This company has earned customer trust through its honest business practices.
失信行为会被记入个人诚信档案。 Shī xìn xíngwéi huì bèi jì rù gèrén chéngxìn dàng'àn. Dishonest behavior will be recorded in a person's credit/integrity record.
社会诚信体系的建立需要每个人的共同努力。 Shèhuì chéngxìn tǐxì de jiànlì xūyào měi gè rén de gòngtóng nǔlì. Building a social integrity system requires the collective effort of everyone.
他一贯言行一致，是公认的诚信之人。 Tā yīguàn yánxíng yīzhì, shì gōngrèn de chéngxìn zhī rén. He has always been consistent in word and deed and is widely recognized as a person of integrity.
企业必须坚守诚信原则，不能为了利润欺骗消费者。 Qǐyè bìxū jiānshǒu chéngxìn yuánzé, bù néng wèile lìrùn qīpiàn xiāofèizhě. Enterprises must uphold the principle of integrity and must not deceive consumers for profit.
Collocations
| Collocation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 诚信经营 (chéngxìn jīngyíng) | to operate with integrity |
| 诚信原则 (chéngxìn yuánzé) | principle of integrity |
| 社会诚信 (shèhuì chéngxìn) | social integrity/credit |
| 诚信档案 (chéngxìn dàng'àn) | integrity/credit record |
| 坚守诚信 (jiānshǒu chéngxìn) | to uphold integrity |
Usage Notes
诚信 is a compound of 诚 (sincerity, honesty) and 信 (trustworthiness, faithfulness). It is one of the core Confucian values and is heavily emphasized in Chinese moral education. In modern China, it also has a policy dimension: the government has developed a 社会信用体系 (social credit system) that tracks 诚信 behavior.
At B2 level, be aware that 诚信 is used in formal and ethical discourse. In everyday speech, 诚实 (chéngshí, honest) is more common for personal honesty, while 诚信 carries the additional weight of trustworthiness and reliability in a social or business context.
Memory Hook
诚 (sincere/honest) + 信 (trust/faithfulness): being both sincere and trustworthy -- integrity.