诚信 (chéng xìn) — honest, trustworthy, having integrity

Definition

Refers to honest and trustworthy conduct, especially in business and dealings with others — a broader, more virtue-like quality than 诚实 (which is simply 'truthful').

adjective
honesttrustworthyhaving integrity

Examples

  • 诚信，。
    Tā zuò shēng yi hěn chéng xìn, cóng bú piàn rén.
    He is very honest in business and never cheats people.
  • 诚信。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī yì zhí jiān chí chéng xìn jīng yíng.
    This company has always insisted on operating with integrity.
  • 诚信。
    chéng xìn Shì zhōng huá mín zú de chuán tǒng měi dé.
    Integrity is a traditional virtue of the Chinese nation.

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.

诚chéngsincere
信xìntrust

诚信 combines 诚 (sincere) and 信 (trust) as parallel qualities of honesty.

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.

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
言言yánwords
Sound part声符shēngfú
人
人rén信xìn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

信 pairs 人 as the sound part with 言 (words) as the meaning part.

Open 信 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6Personality & Traits

Browse more HSK 6 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.