Chinese word

实话实说

Pronunciation

Pinyinshí huà shí shuō

Meaning

  • idiomspeak frankly

Example

实话实说，我并不喜欢他。shí huà shí shuō wǒ bìng bù xǐ huān tā

Speaking frankly, I don't like him.

Illustration for 实话实说 (speak frankly)

More examples

在会议上，他不得不实话实说，承认项目的失败。zài huì yì shàng tā bù dé bù shí huà shí shuō chéng rèn xiàng mù dì shī bài

At the meeting, he had to speak frankly and admit that the project had failed.

Core concept

A speaker puts thoughts or facts plainly into words, with no cover or concealment.

Common phrases

  • 跟大家实话实说gēn dà jiā shí huà shí shuō

    speak frankly to everyone

  • 我得实话实说wǒ děi shí huà shí shuō

    have to be honest

Similar words

开诚布公kāi chéng bù gōng: Sharing thoughts and facts openly, with a sincere and unguarded manner.
直言不讳zhí yán bú huì: Expressing an opinion honestly and directly, without avoiding difficult points.
直截了当zhí jié liǎo dàng: Getting straight to the point and expressing an idea in a clear, brief way.

Definition in Chinese

直接说出心里话或事实，不加掩饰，常作为开场白表示接下来要讲真话或直率意见。zhí jiē shuō chū xīn lǐ huà huò shì shí bù jiā yǎn shì cháng zuò wéi kāi chǎng bái biǎo shì jiē xià lái yào jiǎng zhēn huà huò zhí shuài yì jiàn

Word origin

实话实说 (shíhuàshíshuō, "speak frankly") is built from 实 (shí, "true") + 话 (huà, "words") + 实 + 说 (shuō, "speak"), with the repeated 实 making the candor emphatic.

Usage tips

  • At the start of a sentence, it often announces a candid opinion, so it frames the coming remark rather than making a broad claim about the speaker.

Other meanings

  • be honestidiom
  • truth be toldidiom
  • be bluntidiom

Opposites

  • 虚情假意xū qíng jiǎ yìbe insincereidiom

Word lists with this word