老实

• Pinyin: lǎo shi
• Hanzi breakdown: 老 = 土 (earth) + 人 (person) + 匕 (age indicator); 实 = 宀 (roof radical) + 贯 (phonetic component, meaning solid)

Meaning

Honest; frank; well-behaved; obedient. Describes a person who is truthful, straightforward, and does not cause trouble.

老实 combines the meanings of honesty, docility, and good behaviour. It is generally positive but can carry a mild connotation of being overly passive or too easily taken advantage of. Parents use it to describe well-behaved children; it is also used to encourage confessing the truth (老实说 means 'to be honest' or 'frankly speaking').

Examples

1. 他是个老实人，从来不说谎，大家都很信任他。 He's an honest person — he never lies, and everyone trusts him.
2. 老实说，我觉得这个方案还有很多需要改进的地方。 To be honest, I think there are still many aspects of this proposal that need improving.
3. 孩子，在学校要老实，不要惹麻烦。 Child, behave yourself at school and don't cause trouble.

Usage Guide

Context: character, everyday, parenting, honesty

Tone: positive

Do Say

• 你有什么问题就老实告诉我，不用担心。(If you have any issues, just tell me honestly — don't worry.)
• 他这个人老实可靠，交给他做事我放心。(He's an honest and reliable person — I feel at ease leaving things in his hands.)

Don't Say

• 他太老实了，什么都不敢做 (Be careful using 老实 negatively — while it can imply passiveness, the primary meaning is honest and well-behaved; use 消极 or 被动 if you specifically mean passive or unmotivated)

Origin & History

老 (old, seasoned, steady) + 实 (solid, real, truthful). The combination suggests someone who is genuinely and reliably honest, without pretence.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal