开诚布公 (kāi chéng bù gōng) — to speak frankly and sincerely; open and honest communication

Definition

A formal four-character idiom meaning to speak openly and sincerely with no hidden motives. Use it for frank discussion or negotiation, especially in writing or formal speech.

idiom
to speak frankly and sincerelyopen and honest communication

Examples

  • 开诚布公，。
    Dà jiā kāi chéng bù gōng dì tán le yí cì, wèn tí hěn kuài jiù jiě jué le.
    Everyone spoke frankly once, and the problem was solved quickly.
  • 开诚布公，。
    Wǒ men xū yào kāi chéng bù gōng dì gōu tōng, cái néng xiāo chú wù huì.
    We need to communicate openly to eliminate misunderstandings.
  • 开诚布公。
    Tā zài huì yì shàng kāi chéng bù gōng dì biǎo dá le zì jǐ de yì jiàn.
    He frankly expressed his own opinions at the meeting.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

开诚open sincerity
开kāiopen诚chéngsincerity
动宾Verb + object
布公spread fairness
布bùspread公gōngfairness
动宾Verb + object

开诚 and 布公 set out parallel actions: opening sincerity and spreading fairness, together suggesting frank, honest speech.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 開; 开 is its simplified writing.

  • 門門méndoor
  • 一一yīlatch and/or wooden pole that shuts a door
  • 廾廾gǒnga pair of hands

The traditional form 開 shows 廾, a pair of hands, and 一, a latch or pole, inside 門, a door: hands opening a latched door. The simplified 开 is a shorthand form, so its parts are not the original pieces.

Open 开 →

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 →

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
巾巾jīnkerchief
Sound part声符shēngfú
父
父fù布bù
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

布 pairs 巾, a kerchief, with 父 as a sound part.

Open 布 →

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

One theory sees 公 as a picture of a wide-mouthed, round-bottomed jar.

Open 公 →
Appears in
Communication & SpeechIdioms & Set Phrases

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