Definitions

chéng (adjective) sincere; honest
chéng (adverb) truly; really

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Simplified form of .

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character for sincerity, "诚" in its simplified form, originates from the traditional "誠", a compound ideograph that merges the speech radical "言" with the phonetic component "成", suggesting that truthful speech is integral to genuine expression. Etymologically, this structure points to the concept of words being fulfilled or completed, thereby embodying honesty. Over centuries, its meaning has shifted from classical usages where it often functioned as an adverb meaning "truly" or "indeed" to a more focused nominal sense denoting personal integrity and moral earnestness in modern contexts, while retaining its core association with veracity in communication.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他是一个实的人。

Tā shì yī gè chéngshí de rén.

He is an honest person.

做生意要讲信。

Zuò shēngyì yào jiǎng chéngxìn.

Doing business requires integrity.

她对我非常真

Tā duì wǒ fēicháng zhēnchéng.

She is very sincere to me.

恳地道歉了。

Tā chéngkěn de dàoqiàn le.

He apologized sincerely.

意地帮助你。

Wǒ chéngxīn chéngyì de bāngzhù nǐ.

I help you with all sincerity.

实是美德,但有时很难做到。

Chéngshí shì měidé, dàn yǒushí hěn nán zuò dào.

Honesty is a virtue, but sometimes it's hard to achieve.

如果没有信,朋友就会离开你。

Rúguǒ méiyǒu chéngxìn, péngyou jiù huì líkāi nǐ.

If you lack integrity, friends will leave you.

尽管他犯了错误,但他的实态度赢得了大家的谅解。

Jǐnguǎn tā fàn le cuòwù, dàn tā de chéngshí tàidù yíngdé le dàjiā de liàngjiě.

Although he made a mistake, his honest attitude won everyone's forgiveness.