Definitions
(adjective)
real; true; genuine
(adverb)
really; truly; indeed
Etymology
Based on the original meaning "precious", now written as 珍. The meaning later shifted to "genuine" and "true".
About
The character "真" in its traditional form "眞" is structurally composed of components that suggest its original conceptual meaning. While its exact etymology is debated, one common analysis interprets it as depicting a transformation, with elements that may represent an inverted person (匕) above an eye (目) and a base (八), though this interpretation is not definitive. Its early meaning was not "truth" in a factual sense but rather pertained to the inherent, essential nature of something, closely associated with concepts of purity and the fundamental essence of a being or object. Over centuries, its semantic field broadened and concretized, moving from this abstract notion of quintessential purity to encompass the qualities of being genuine, real, and authentic, and eventually extending to denote factual truth and sincerity. The modern simplified form "真" retains the core structural components of the top and middle sections of its traditional counterpart.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
今天天气真好。
你真的喜欢吗？
他说的是真话。
这是我真正的家。
真相终于大白了。
真诚的心最重要。
真没想到会这样。
对于这件事，他的真实想法是什么？