誠 meaning and stroke order
Honest, sincere, true; actually, really
How to write 誠, stroke by stroke
13 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 誠
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) sincere; authentic
- (literary) really; truly
How 誠 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Speech.
言 gives the meaning and 成 hints at the sound.
Radical: 言 (words), shared by 155 characters on this site.
How to remember 誠
誠 combines 言 (speech) with 成 (chéng, to complete), which also gives the sound. Think of words that are carried through to completion: when what you say actually comes true, you are sincere.
誠 is a bound form, so it almost always appears inside words like 诚实 (chéngshí, honest), 真诚 (zhēnchéng, sincere) and 诚意 (chéngyì, sincerity). In literary or formal Chinese it can also mean "truly," as in the set phrase 诚然. Example: 他是一个诚实的人。(Tā shì yí ge chéngshí de rén.) He is an honest person.
Common mistake: Learners often write 成 alone when they mean 诚. 成功 (chénggōng, success) uses 成, but 诚实 (honest) needs the speech radical 言 (simplified 讠). Also keep the second tone and do not confuse it with 城 (chéng, city wall), which has the earth radical 土.
Common words with 誠
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 誠實 | chéngshí | honest | HSK 4 |
| 誠信 | chéngxìn | honesty; trustworthiness; good faith | HSK 4 |
| 真誠 | zhēnchéng | sincere; genuine; true | HSK 5 |
| 忠誠 | zhōngchéng | devoted; loyal | HSK 7-9 |
| 虔誠 | qiánchéng | pious; devout | HSK 7-9 |
| 坦誠 | tǎnchéng | candid; frank | HSK 7-9 |
| 誠意 | chéngyì | sincerity; good faith | HSK 7-9 |
| 誠摯 | chéngzhì | sincere; cordial | HSK 7-9 |
| 誠懇 | chéngkěn | sincere; honest | HSK 7-9 |
| 誠心誠意 | chéngxīn-chéngyì | earnestly and sincerely (idiom); with all sincerity | HSK 7-9 |
| 誠心 | chéngxīn | sincerity | |
| 開誠佈公 | kāichéngbùgōng | lit. deal sincerely and fairly (idiom); frank and open-minded; plain speaking | |
| 誠然 | chéngrán | indeed; true! (I agree with you) |
Questions about 誠
How many strokes are in 誠?
誠 is written with 13 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 誠 mean?
誠 (chéng) means honest, sincere, true; actually, really. A common word with it is 诚实 (chéngshí), meaning "honest".
How do you pronounce 誠?
誠 is pronounced chéng, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 誠?
The radical of 誠 is 言, which carries the idea of "words". Dictionaries list 誠 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 誠?
誠 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 诚, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 诚实 and 真诚?
诚实 (chéngshí) means honest, not lying or cheating, and often describes a person's character. 真诚 (zhēnchéng) means genuine or heartfelt, and is often used for feelings, attitudes or apologies, as in 真诚的道歉 (a sincere apology).
Can 诚 be used by itself as a word?
Not in everyday speech. Alone it appears only in literary or formal language meaning "really" or "truly," for example 诚如所言 (it is truly as you said). In normal conversation, use a compound like 诚实 or 真诚.