實在

简 实在 · 繁 實在
Mandarin · pinyin shí zài

Meanings

  1. really
  2. actually
  3. indeed
  4. true
  5. real
  6. honest
  7. dependable
  8. (philosophy) reality
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Characters in this entry

實
shí · real, true, solid, honest
在
zài · be at, in, on; consist in, rest
实
shí · real, true; honest, sincere
Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

2–4 · shi2 zai4

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

實在 · find source passages ↗ · 实在 · find source passages ↗

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 6 senses · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

sat6 zoi6

Cantonese word readings for 實在. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

adj

  1. real; true; genuine; down-to-earth

adv

  1. really; truly; indeed
  2. actually; as a matter of fact; in fact

adj

  1. practical; dependable; honest
  2. well done; done carefully (of work)
  3. sturdy; firm; strong; solid (of an object)

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source & license · Data pack