眞 (zhēn) - True, real, genuine, authentic & truth, reality

眞Tone 1

zhēn ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

丈志

眞 · zhēn

True, real, genuine, authentic;

truth, reality;

sincere, honest;

refers to something that is not false or artificial.

True, real, genuine, authentictruth, realitysincere, honest

Usage highlights

truthsincereauthenticrealitytrue heartportrait

Synonyms

  • 真— true, real (modern simplified form)
  • 實— real, solid, factual
  • 誠— sincere, honest

Antonyms

  • 假— fake, false
  • 偽— false, counterfeit
  • 虛— empty, false, unreal

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • This is the genuine article (眞品).
  • He speaks the truth (說眞話).
  • I want to know the real reason (眞正的原因).
  • Her feelings are sincere (眞摯的感情).

Collocations

  • truth(眞理)
  • sincere(眞誠)
  • authentic(眞正)
  • reality(眞實)
  • true heart(眞心)
  • portrait(寫眞)

Idioms

  • Genuine gold fears no fire(眞金不怕火煉)
  • Return to one's original simplicity(歸眞返璞)
  • Fake and real mixed together(眞假難辨)
  • Sincere and earnest(眞心實意)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Daoist philosophy, 'zhen' represents the natural, uncorrupted state of being, as in 'zhenren' (眞人) meaning 'true person' or perfected being.
  • The character appears in Buddhist contexts, such as in 'zhenyan' (眞言) meaning 'true words' or mantra.
  • In traditional Chinese art and connoisseurship, distinguishing between 'zhen' (genuine) and 'jia' (fake) is a fundamental concern.

FAQ