Chinese word

其实

Pronunciation

Pinyinqí shí

Meaning

  • adverbactually

Example

其实我已经吃过了。qí shí wǒ yǐ jīng chī guò le

Actually, I have already eaten.

Illustration for 其实 (actually)

More examples

其实我觉得他很友好。qí shí wǒ jué de tā hěn yóu hǎo

Actually, I think he is very friendly.

Core concept

A quiet turn from what seems true to what is really happening.

Common phrases

  • 其实我觉得qí shí wǒ jué de

    actually I think

  • 其实有时候qí shí yǒu shí hòu

    actually sometimes

Similar words

实际上shí jì shàng: Points out that the real situation differs from what has been seen, said, or expected.
事实上shì shí shàng: Emphasizes an objective fact or states firmly what is true.
原来yuán lái: Introduces a fact or situation that has just been discovered or understood.

Definition in Chinese

作副词使用，表示接下来的内容才是实际情况，常用于补充说明或轻微的纠正。zuò fù cí shǐ yòng biǎo shì jiē xià lái de nèi róng cái shì shí jì qíng kuàng cháng yòng yú bǔ chōng shuō míng huò qīng wēi de jiū zhèng

Word origin

其 (qí, "that") points to something already mentioned, while 实 (shí, "real") marks what is true, so the combination brings attention to the actual situation.

Usage tips

  • English actually can introduce a correction, but its position is more flexible; in Chinese, placing this word early makes the change in information easy to hear.

Other meanings

  • reallyadverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word