一诺千金 (yī nuò qiān jīn) — (idiom) a promise worth a thousand gold pieces; (fig.) a solemn promise that one will keep one's word; trustworthy

Definition

A chengyu describing a promise so weighty it is 'worth a thousand gold pieces' — used to praise someone whose word can be trusted completely.

idiom
a promise worth a thousand gold pieces(fig.) a solemn promise that one will keep one's wordtrustworthy

Examples

  • 一诺千金，。
    Tā zhè ge rén yī nuò qiān jīn, dā ying de shì yí dìng huì zuò dào.
    He is a man of his word — if he promises something, he will definitely do it.
  • ，一诺千金。
    Zài shāng yè hé zuò zhōng, yī nuò qiān jīn bǐ hé tong gèng zhòng yào.
    In business cooperation, keeping one's word is more important than a contract.
  • 一诺千金，。
    Gǔ rén jiǎng jiu yī nuò qiān jīn, xiàn dài rén yě yīng gāi rú cǐ.
    Ancient people valued a promise worth a thousand gold, and modern people should do the same.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

一诺one promise
一yīone诺nuòpromise
偏正Modifier + head
千金a thousand gold
千qiānthousand金jīngold
偏正Modifier + head

一诺, 'one promise', and 千金, 'a thousand gold', combine to mean a promise worth a thousand gold.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

一 is drawn as one horizontal stroke, marking the number one.

Open 一 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 諾; 诺 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánword, speak
Sound part声符shēngfú
若
若ruò諾nuò
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 諾 pairs 言, meaning word or speak, with 若 as a sound part, for an affirmative answer. The simplified 诺 is a later shorthand.

Open 诺 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
一一yīone, signifying a number
Sound part声符shēngfú
人
人rén千qiān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

千 pairs 人, whose sound was similar, with 一, a number stroke; the extra line was explained as extension, and a thousand is a number reached by extending counting.

Open 千 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

金 was drawn with marks for two pieces of metal, along with a part that gave its sound; it first meant copper, then metals and gold.

Open 金 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.