老实 lǎoshi honest
honest; sincere; well-behaved; naive; gullible
How to remember 老实: 老 old + 实 real = honest.
Characters
How it is used
- Honest / well-behaved, sometimes naive - 他很老实 (tā hěn lǎoshi) he's honest and unassuming, 老实交代 (lǎoshi jiāodài) come clean.
- Praises sincerity and obedience, but can imply gullible/too meek; note reading lǎoshi (neutral tone). 老老实实 intensifies it.
- Colloquial; tone depends on context.
Example sentences
- 我是个老实人。 Wǒ shì gè lǎoshírén.I'm an honest person.
- 你看起来像个老实人。 Nǐ kànqǐlái xiàng gè lǎoshírén.You seem to be an honest man.
- 您看起来像个老实人。 Nín kànqǐlái xiàng gè lǎoshírén.You seem to be an honest man.