正视

• Pinyin: zhèng shì
• Hanzi breakdown: 正 = 一 + 止 (straight/upright); 视 = 礻+ 见 (look/regard)

Meaning

To face squarely; to confront directly. To acknowledge and deal with something honestly rather than avoiding it.

Used for acknowledging problems, challenges, truths, or realities that one might prefer to ignore. Common in discussions of personal growth, social issues, and historical reckoning.

Examples

1. 我们必须正视气候变化带来的严峻挑战。 We must confront the severe challenges brought by climate change.
2. 他终于正视了自己的缺点，开始努力改正。 He finally faced his shortcomings and started working to correct them.
3. 只有正视历史，才能更好地走向未来。 Only by facing history squarely can we move toward a better future.

Usage Guide

Context: personal development, social issues, academic

Tone: serious

Do Say

• 企业应当正视市场竞争的压力，积极寻求突破。(Enterprises should squarely face the pressure of market competition and actively seek breakthroughs.)
• 正视自己的不足是进步的第一步。(Facing one's shortcomings squarely is the first step toward progress.)

Don't Say

• 请正视我说话 — for making eye contact, use 看着我; 正视 implies confronting abstract issues or truths, not physical looking

Origin & History

正 (straight/directly) + 视 (look at) — looking straight at something

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal