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真相 (zhēn xiàng) — the truth, the actual facts

Definition

真相 (zhēnxiàng) is 'the truth' — the revealed, actual facts behind a hidden situation. Compared with 事实 ('established fact'), it implies uncovering what was concealed or unknown.

noun
the truththe actual facts

Examples

  • 真相。
    Wǒ men bì xū zhī dào zhēn xiàng.
    We must know the truth.
  • 真相。
    Tā yì zhí yǐn mán zhe zhēn xiàng.
    He has been concealing the truth.
  • 真相。
    Jì zhě bào dào le zhēn xiàng.
    The reporter reported the truth.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

真zhēntrue
相xiāngappearance

真相 combines 真 as true and 相 as appearance to mean the real facts behind appearances.

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
貝貝bèicowrie; shell
Sound part声符shēngfú
𠂈
𠂈𠂈真zhēn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

真 pairs 貝 (cowrie shell, used for the meaning) with 𠂈, which gave the sound and originally drew a headlong fall.

Open 真 →

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 →
Appears in
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