ZHIZHI 知止 · LEARN CHINESE DAILY
实
real; solid; fruit
shí
8 strokes · 宀 (roof) + 头 — a house filled with valuables (orig. strings of coins) · HSK 2
Where 实 comes from
The old form shows a house 宀 packed with strings of coins: full, substantial, real wealth. What fills is solid; what is solid is true — 实 became reality itself.
实 in Chinese culture
其实 'actually' is one of the most-spoken words in Mandarin — the conversational gear-shift. 实在 really, 老实 honest, 现实 reality. Fruit 果实 is the plant's 'solid' output.
Example
其实 qíshí — actually
其实我不太懂。
Qíshí wǒ bú tài dǒng.
Actually, I don't really understand.
How to remember it
A house FULL of coins — SOLID, REAL, no bluff.
老实 'honest' is literally 'old-solid' — dependable as something that has stayed full a long time.
Same sound, different tones
Words unlocked by 实
其实 qíshí
actually
诚实 chéngshí
honest
Related characters
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