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坦诚相见 (tǎn chéng xiāng jiàn) — to be completely open and sincere with each other; to treat each other with full trust and honesty

Definition

A formal chengyu meaning to meet and speak with full openness and honesty — the kind of mutual trust a couple or close team shares. Use it for sincere, no-secrets exchanges, not casual small talk.

verb
to be completely open and sincere with each otherto treat each other with full trust and honesty

Examples

  • 坦诚相见，。
    Tā men fū qī zhī jiān tǎn chéng xiāng jiàn, méi yǒu mì mì.
    Between this couple, they are completely open with each other, with no secrets.
  • ，坦诚相见。
    Zài tuán duì hé zuò zhōng, dà jiā yīng gāi tǎn chéng xiāng jiàn.
    In teamwork, everyone should be completely sincere with each other.
  • 坦诚相见，。
    Zhǐ yǒu tǎn chéng xiāng jiàn, cái néng jiàn lì zhēn zhèng de yǒu yì.
    Only by being fully open and sincere with each other can one build true friendship.

Origin

Characters in this word

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
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
旦
旦dàn坦tǎn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

坦 is made from 土 (earth) plus 旦, which provides the sound. The earth part shows the sense is about ground.

Open 坦 →

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 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 見; 见 is its simplified writing.

  • 目目mùeye
  • 卩卩jiékneeling person

The traditional form 見 pairs 目 (eye) with 卩 (kneeling person), showing a kneeling figure with a large eye for a head. The simplified 见 is a later shorthand.

Open 见 →
Appears in
Communication & SpeechIdioms & Set Phrases

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