Chinese word

实际上

Pronunciation

Pinyinshí jì shàng

Meaning

  • adverbactually

Example

他实际上并不想去。tā shí jì shàng bìng bù xiǎng qù

He actually doesn't want to go.

Illustration for 实际上 (actually)

More examples

这件产品实际上比广告说的更好。zhè jiàn chán pǐn shí jì shàng bǐ guǎng gào shuō de gèng hǎo

This product is actually better than the advertisement says.

Core concept

It marks the shift from what seems to be the case to what is true or effective in reality.

Common phrases

  • 实际上并没有shí jì shàng bìng méi yǒu

    in fact did not

  • 实际上比想象的shí jì shàng bǐ xiǎng xiàng de

    actually more than imagined

Similar words

其实qí shí: Softly reveals a hidden fact or a speaker's true feeling during a conversation.
原来yuán lái: Marks a newly understood fact or reason, often with a sense of "so that is why."
事实上shì shí shàng: Emphasizes an objective fact rather than a merely apparent impression.
实在shí zài: Strongly affirms that something is truly the case in reality.

Definition in Chinese

用来说明事情在现实中与表面描述或想象不同，常用于纠正误解或补充说明事实。yòng lái shuō míng shì qíng zài xiàn shí zhōng yǔ biǎo miàn miáo shù huò xiǎng xiàng bù tóng cháng yòng yú jiū zhèng wù jiě huò bǔ chōng shuō míng shì shí

Word origin

In 实际上 (shíjìshàng, "actually"), 实 (shí, "real") and 际 (jì, "boundary or situation") form the idea of actual circumstances, and 上 (shàng, "on") extends it to "in terms of those circumstances."

Usage tips

  • Native English speakers may hear actually as a strong disagreement, while 实际上 (shíjìshàng, "actually") also fits neutral explanations that compare a plan, appearance, or belief with its real result.

Other meanings

  • in practiceadverb

Opposites

Related words

  • 实际shí jìrealadjective
  • 实际意义shí jì yì yìactual significancenoun

Word lists with this word