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March 24, 2026
诚(誠)chéng(cheng2)
The character 诚 (chéng) means honest, sincere, or true. It is often used to describe someone who is genuine and trustworthy, and it reflects a core value in Chinese culture where sincerity is highly regarded. It can also imply authenticity in one's actions and words.
Strokes8Radical讠Frequency#14634DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, 诚 is a foundational virtue in Confucianism, emphasizing the importance of being sincere in relationships and business. This character is often seen in sayings and proverbs that highlight the value of honesty.
Memory Tip
Imagine a 'cheng' (sounds like 'change') where a person transforms into their true self, shedding dishonesty like old skin. The character 诚 consists of the radical for 'speak' (言) and the component for 'complete' (成), suggesting that true speech is complete and honest.
Meanings of 诚
chéng(cheng2)
1honest
2sincere
Exercise 1 of 3
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About 诚
诚Simplified
誠Traditional
8Strokes
讠Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#14634Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L5
Podcast: 诚
Podcast: 诚
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AI Study Notes for 诚
Quick Contrast
诚 (chéng, honest) vs 真 (zhēn, true) — use 诚 when emphasizing sincerity in character, while 真 focuses more on factual truth.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a 'cheng' (sounds like 'change') where a person transforms into their true self, shedding dishonesty like old skin. The character 诚 consists of the radical for 'speak' (言) and the component for 'complete' (成), suggesting that true speech is complete and honest.
Usage Notes
When using 诚, it's important to note that it is often paired with other words to form phrases like 诚实 (chéngshí, honest) and 诚意 (chéngyì, sincerity). Common mistakes include confusing it with similar-sounding characters that do not convey the same meaning, so careful attention to tone is essential.
HSK Study Tips
While 诚 is not currently listed in HSK levels, learners should focus on its usage in contexts related to trust and sincerity. It connects well with other HSK vocabulary regarding emotions and interpersonal relationships, such as 爱 (love) and 信任 (trust).
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, 诚 is a foundational virtue in Confucianism, emphasizing the importance of being sincere in relationships and business. This character is often seen in sayings and proverbs that highlight the value of honesty.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 诚 with similar characters like 成 (chéng, to become), which can lead to incorrect usage. For example, saying '我很成' (wǒ hěn chéng) instead of '我很诚' (wǒ hěn chéng) to mean 'I am very honest' is incorrect.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 诚
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Grammar Patterns of 诚
诚 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Have the courage to be honest with yourself and about yourself.
7
她是个虔诚的基督徒，对工作全身心投入。
tā shì gè qián chéng de jī dū tú， ， duì gōng zuò quán shēn xīn tóu。
She was a very strict Christian who was married to her job.
8
普里莫·德里韦拉本人是个仁慈而真诚的家长式人物。
pǔ lǐ mò· · dé lǐ wéi lā běn rén shì gè rén cí ér zhēn chéng de jiā cháng shì rén。
Primo de Rivera himself was a benevolent and sincere paternalist.
9
康蒂跪下来虔诚地用手在胸前画了个十字。
kāng dì guì xià lái qián chéng dì yòng shǒu zài xiōng qián huà le gè shí zì。
Conti kneeled and crossed himself piously.
10
他的长相非常孩子气,显得性情很好且诚实坦率.
tā de cháng xiāng fēi cháng hái zǐ qì, , xiǎn dé xìng qíng hěn hǎo qiě chéng shí tǎn.
His classic boyish looks seemed to proclaim his good humour and openness.
Cultural Notes for 诚
💡Did you know?
In Chinese culture, being 诚 (honest) is highly valued. It reflects not only on personal integrity but also on family and societal reputation. Honesty is often seen as a foundational virtue for building trust in relationships.
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, 诚 is a foundational virtue in Confucianism, emphasizing the importance of being sincere in relationships and business. This character is often seen in sayings and proverbs that highlight the value of honesty.
📜Proverb
There is a famous Chinese proverb: "诚实是最好的政策" (Honesty is the best policy). This saying highlights the importance of being truthful in all aspects of life.
Word Family of 诚
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 诚
Honesty, represented by the character 诚 (chéng), is a fundamental value in Chinese culture. It reflects the importance of trust and integrity in personal relationships and business dealings. Demonstrating sincerity often leads to stronger connections and mutual respect.
Yes, synonyms for 诚 (chéng) include 真实 (zhēn shí), which means 'real' or 'true,' and 忠诚 (zhōng chéng), meaning 'loyal' or 'faithful.' Each of these words emphasizes aspects of truthfulness and integrity.
诚 (chéng) means 'honest' or 'sincere' in Chinese. It is often used to describe a person's character or the quality of being truthful. This character is important in Chinese culture, as integrity and sincerity are highly valued traits.
To use 诚 (chéng) in a sentence, you might say, '他是一个诚实的人' (Tā shì yīgè chéngshí de rén), which means 'He is an honest person.' This character can be combined with other words to convey sincerity in various contexts.
The pronunciation is 'chéng', with a rising tone. Practice saying it with emphasis on the 'ch' sound.
Yes, 诚 is suitable for both formal and informal contexts, especially when discussing trust or sincerity.
Common phrases include 诚实 (chéngshí, honest) and 诚意 (chéngyì, sincerity).
