Stroke order, etymology and audio for every word.Start learning
老实 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
老实
lǎoshi
honest
HSK 6, n, 14 strokes, rank #1669, Hard
老实
lǎoshi
sincere
HSK 6, n, 14 strokes, rank #1669, Hard
老实
lǎoshi
open and guileless
HSK 6, n, 14 strokes, rank #1669, Hard
老实
lǎoshi
naive
HSK 6, n, 14 strokes, rank #1669, Hard
老实
lǎoshi
well-behaved
HSK 6, unknown, 14 strokes, rank #1669, Hard
lǎoshi(lao3shi5)lao shi T3
1honest
2sincere
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
老实(老實)lǎoshi(lao3shi5)
The term '老实' refers to a person who is honest, sincere, and straightforward, often lacking guile or deceit. It can also imply a certain naivety or simplicity, suggesting that the person is well-behaved and trustworthy in their actions and intentions.
Strokes14Frequency#1669DifficultyHard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, being '老实' is often valued as a virtue, indicating trustworthiness and integrity. However, it can also imply that a person may be taken advantage of due to their straightforward nature, reflecting cultural nuances around honesty and social interactions.
Memory tip
Imagine an old man (老) telling the truth (实) without any tricks. Picture him sitting on a park bench, sharing his stories sincerely, symbolizing both age and honesty. The sound 'lao' can remind you of 'old,' and 'shi' sounds like 'sincere,' reinforcing the meaning.
Meanings of 老实
lǎoshi(lao3shi5)
1honest
2sincere
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 老实 means.
About 老实
老实Simplified
老實Traditional
14Strokes
—Radical
名形词xíngróngcíadj-noun (adj.-n.)Part of Speech
#1669Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L6IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1
Podcast: 老实
Podcast: 老实
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI study notes for 老实
Quick Contrast
诚实 (chéngshí) vs 老实 (lǎoshi): use 诚实 for a focus on honesty as a moral quality, while 老实 emphasizes straightforwardness and simplicity, often with a connotation of naivety.
Usage Notes
'老实' is often used in informal contexts to describe someone's character, but can also be used in formal discussions about ethics. Be careful not to confuse it with '诚实' (chéng shí), which strictly means 'honest' without the connotation of simplicity or naivety. The tone is crucial; ensure to pronounce the third tone for '老' and the fifth tone for '实' correctly.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK 5 word, '老实' connects with other words that describe character traits, such as '诚实' (honest) and '善良' (kind). Students should focus on using it in context to describe people or behaviors, and practice forming sentences that express both positive and negative traits.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly use '老实' interchangeably with '诚实.' For example, saying '她很老实' (She is very honest) is correct, but confusing it with '她很诚实' may lead to misunderstanding its nuance of simplicity or naivety.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 老实
Premium — Locked
Tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 老实, say it back, see your pitch against the model voice, and earn XP towards mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 老实 through them.
Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.
How well do you know 老实?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 老实 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
The term '老实' refers to a person who is honest, sincere, and straightforward, often lacking guile or deceit. It can also imply a certain naivety or simplicity, suggesting that the person is well-behaved and trustworthy in their actions and intentions.
When to use 老实
'老实' is often used in informal contexts to describe someone's character, but can also be used in formal discussions about ethics. Be careful not to confuse it with '诚实' (chéng shí), which strictly means 'honest' without the connotation of simplicity or naivety. The tone is crucial; ensure to pronounce the third tone for '老' and the fifth tone for '实' correctly.
老实 or something close to it
诚实 (chéngshí) vs 老实 (lǎoshi): use 诚实 for a focus on honesty as a moral quality, while 老实 emphasizes straightforwardness and simplicity, often with a connotation of naivety.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mistakenly use '老实' interchangeably with '诚实.' For example, saying '她很老实' (She is very honest) is correct, but confusing it with '她很诚实' may lead to misunderstanding its nuance of simplicity or naivety.
Write 老实
老
实
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 老实 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Grammar patterns of 老实
老实 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 5 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.
Exercise 1 of 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
____讲，托马斯，你贷款的问题开始让我担心了。
Frankly, Thomas, this question of your loan is beginning to worry me.
