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March 24, 2026
誠chéng(cheng2)
The character 誠 (chéng) embodies the qualities of honesty, sincerity, and truthfulness. It is often used to describe a person's character or intentions, indicating that they are genuine and trustworthy. Common contexts include personal relationships and business dealings, where sincerity is highly valued.
Strokes13Radical言Frequency#47459DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, sincerity is a foundational value in both personal relationships and business practices. The concept of 誠 is closely tied to Confucian ideals, where honesty and integrity are essential for harmonious social interactions.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person standing on a stage, speaking the truth with an open heart (the radical 誠 includes the heart component '心' which symbolizes emotions). Visualize them speaking 'chéng' loudly and clearly, resonating with the audience's need for honesty.
Meanings of 誠
chéng(cheng2)
1honest, sincere, true; actually, really
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 誠
誠Simplified
13Strokes
言Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 誠
Podcast: 誠
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AI Study Notes for 誠
Quick Contrast
誠 (chéng) vs 真 (zhēn) — use 誠 for sincerity in character or intentions, while 真 emphasizes authenticity or factual truth.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a person standing on a stage, speaking the truth with an open heart (the radical 誠 includes the heart component '心' which symbolizes emotions). Visualize them speaking 'chéng' loudly and clearly, resonating with the audience's need for honesty.
Usage Notes
Be cautious not to confuse 誠 with similar-sounding words that may imply different meanings, such as 承 (chéng), which means 'to bear' or 'to undertake.' This word is generally used in both formal and informal contexts but is especially important in serious discussions.
HSK Study Tips
While 誠 is not listed in the HSK vocabulary, it connects well with other words related to trust and morality. Students at this level should focus on its usage in sentences and practice combining it with verbs like '說' (shuō - to speak) to form phrases emphasizing sincerity.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, sincerity is a foundational value in both personal relationships and business practices. The concept of 誠 is closely tied to Confucian ideals, where honesty and integrity are essential for harmonious social interactions.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 誠 with the character 承 (chéng), leading to incorrect phrases like '承心' instead of the correct '誠心' (chéngxīn). Always remember that 誠 relates to honesty, not undertaking.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 誠
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Cultural Notes for 誠
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, sincerity is a foundational value in both personal relationships and business practices. The concept of 誠 is closely tied to Confucian ideals, where honesty and integrity are essential for harmonious social interactions.
🌏Cross-cultural Insight
In Western cultures, sincerity is also valued, but it may be expressed more directly, whereas in Chinese culture, the expression of sincerity often involves a deeper contextual understanding and nuanced communication.
Word Family of 誠
Words Containing This Character20
诚chéngsincere誠
诚实chéngshíhonest誠實
忠诚zhōngchéngdevoted忠誠
真诚zhēnchéngtrue真誠
坦诚tǎnchéngcandid坦誠
虔诚qiánchéngpious虔誠
诚意chéngyìsincerity誠意
诚恳chéngkěnsincere誠懇
诚挚chéngzhìsincere誠摯
开诚布公plain speaking開誠布公
诚心sincerity誠心
李嘉诚Sir Li Ka-shing (1928-), Hong Kong businessman李嘉誠
诚信chéngxìngenuine誠信
诚然indeed誠然
热诚devotion熱誠
诚心诚意chéngxīnchéngyìearnestly and sincerely (idiom); with all sincerity誠心誠意
投诚to defect投誠
竭诚wholeheartedly竭誠
诚惶诚恐in fear and trepidation (idiom); in reverence before your majesty (court formula of humility)誠惶誠恐
坦诚相见to trust one another fully坦誠相見
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 诚 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 誠
You can say '他很誠實' (tā hěn chéngshí) meaning 'He is very honest.'
Yes, 誠 is appropriate in both formal and informal contexts, especially in writing where honesty is emphasized.
Yes, you can describe feelings as sincere by saying '誠心誠意' (chéngxīn chéngyì), which means wholeheartedly.
