老实说
lǎoshíshuō
The English phrase "to be honest" is translated into Chinese as 老实说 (lǎoshíshuō).
老实说 is typically used as a sentence-initial adverbial to introduce a frank or potentially blunt opinion.
Meaning: frankly (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 老实 (honest/frank) and 说 (to speak/say).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The colloquial alternative 说实话 (shuō shíhuà) is a very common alternative to 老实说. For formal environments, the expression 实话实说 reflects complete honesty and straightforwardness.
How do you pronounce it?
lǎoshíshuō
Did you know?
- There is a distinct difference between 老实 (honest/naive) and 诚实 (chéngshí), which is the more clinical word for 'honest'. While 诚实 describes a moral virtue, 老实 describes a personality type.
- The concept of 'truth' in 说实话 is deeply tied to the character 实 (shí), which also means 'solid' or 'substantial'. Honesty in Chinese is linguistically linked to being 'solid' rather than just 'not lying'.
- The word 老实 (lǎoshí), meaning 'honest', carries a connotation of being 'obedient' or 'docile'. In historical contexts, being 'too honest' could imply a lack of wit or being easily manipulated.
Examples in context
- 老实说，我们是来抓你的。To be honest, we came to capture you.This sentence is useful for seeing how 老实说 introduces a frank statement.Tatoeba #800923 by GlossaMatik, translation #800924 by FeuDRenais2
- 说实话，这个项目有一些挑战。To be honest, this project has some challenges.
- 这个计划在实施之前，坦白说，需要更多讨论。To be frank, this plan needs more discussion before implementation.
- 我希望我们能够实话实说，以便解决这个问题。I hope we can be honest with each other to solve this issue.
- 其实，我不太喜欢吃辣的食物。To be honest, I'm not a big fan of spicy food.
- 老实说，我不喜欢这件衣服。Lǎoshíshuō, wǒ bù xǐhuān zhè jiàn yīfú.To be honest, I don't like this piece of clothing.
- 老实说，这件事很难办。Lǎoshíshuō, zhè jiàn shì hěn nán bàn.To be honest, this matter is very difficult to handle.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a movie they just watched.
- 浩然 Haoran你觉得这部电影怎么样？Nǐ juédé zhè bù diànyǐng zěnmeyàng?What did you think of this movie?
- 佳怡 Jiayi老实说，我觉得有点无聊。Lǎoshíshuō, wǒ juédé yǒudiǎn wúliáo.To be honest, I thought it was a bit boring.
- 浩然 Haoran我也是这么想的。Wǒ yěshì zhème xiǎng de.That's what I thought too.
- 佳怡 Jiayi我们还是去吃点东西吧。Wǒmen háishì qù chī diǎn dōngxī ba.Let's go eat something instead.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
