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以诚相待 (yǐ chéng xiāng dài) — to treat with all sincerity

Definition

An idiom meaning to treat others with complete honesty and sincerity. Used in formal or reflective speech, often about how one should conduct relationships.

idiom
to treat with all sincerity

Examples

  • 以诚相待，。
    Wǒ duì tā yì zhí yǐ chéng xiāng dài, tā yě fēi cháng xìn rèn wǒ.
    I have always treated him with sincerity, and he trusts me very much.
  • 以诚相待，。
    Rú guǒ nǐ xī wàng bié rén yǐ chéng xiāng dài, nǐ zì jǐ shǒu xiān yào zuò dào zhè yì diǎn.
    If you want others to treat you sincerely, you must first do that yourself.
  • 以诚相待，。
    Péng you zhī jiān yīng gāi yǐ chéng xiāng dài, zhè yàng cái néng jiàn lì cháng jiǔ de yǒu yì.
    Between friends, we should treat each other with sincerity in order to build lasting friendship.

Origin

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape came from a drawing of a person carrying something; in 以, part of that person is still visible on the right.

Open 以 →

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 誠; 诚 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánspeech
Sound part声符shēngfú
成
成chéng誠chéng
Same sound today

In 誠, 言 is the speech part and 成 gives the sound; this is about the traditional form 誠, not the simplified 诚.

Open 诚 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

In 相, 目 is an eye and 木 is a tree, showing an eye looking at a tree; this originally meant “to observe.”

Open 相 →

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
彳彳chì
Sound part声符shēngfú
寺
寺sì待dài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

待 is built from 彳 on the left and 寺 on the right; 彳 is tied to the meaning, and 寺 gives the sound.

Open 待 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set PhrasesPersonality & Traits

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