如一

• Pinyin: rú yī
• Hanzi breakdown: 如 = 女 (woman) + 口 (mouth) — like, as; 一 = single horizontal stroke — one

Meaning

Consistent; uniform; as one. Remaining the same throughout without change.

Typically used in set phrases like 始终如一 (consistent from beginning to end), 表里如一 (consistent inside and out), and 言行如一 (words and actions are consistent). Emphasizes constancy, reliability, and integrity. Carries positive connotations of steadfastness.

Examples

1. 他对待工作的态度始终如一，从不马虎。 His attitude toward work has always been consistent — never careless.
2. 做人要表里如一，不能当面一套背后一套。 One should be the same inside and out, not putting on different faces.
3. 这家老店几十年来品质如一。 This old shop has maintained consistent quality for decades.

Usage Guide

Context: character, quality, reliability

Tone: commending

Do Say

• 他始终如一。(He is consistently the same.)
• 我们要言行如一。(We must be consistent in word and deed.)

Don't Say

• 不要单独使用'如一'，通常要与其他词搭配 (如一 is typically used in four-character phrases like 始终如一 or 表里如一, not alone)

Origin & History

Compound of 如 (like, as) and 一 (one). Together they mean 'as if one' or remaining constant like a single entity.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal