守信

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shǒuxìn: 守信 - To keep one's promise, to be trustworthy

Quick Summary

  • Keywords: shǒuxìn, shouxin, 守信, keep promise Chinese, trustworthy in Chinese, be faithful, honor one's word, Chinese business ethics, integrity, reliability, Chinese culture, honesty in China
  • Summary: An essential virtue in Chinese culture, 守信 (shǒuxìn) means to be trustworthy and faithfully keep one's promises. More than just honesty, it signifies a deep commitment to honoring your word, forming the bedrock of all stable relationships, from personal friendships to crucial business partnerships. Understanding shǒuxìn is key to navigating Chinese social and professional life successfully.

Core Meaning

  • Pinyin (with tone marks): shǒuxìn
  • Part of Speech: Verb / Adjective
  • HSK Level: HSK 5
  • Concise Definition: To keep one's promise; to be trustworthy or faithful.
  • In a Nutshell: Imagine you have someone's trust in your hands. 守信 (shǒuxìn) is the act of carefully guarding that trust. It's an active, ongoing commitment. It’s not just about telling the truth in the moment, but about ensuring your future actions align with your past promises. A person who is 守信 is reliable, dependable, and has a high degree of integrity.

Character Breakdown

  • 守 (shǒu): This character's primary meaning is “to guard,” “to protect,” or “to keep.” The ancient form depicts a hand protecting a house or a post, representing the act of defending or holding onto something important.
  • 信 (xìn): This character means “trust,” “faith,” “belief,” or “letter.” It is composed of the radicals 人 (rén - person) and 言 (yán - speech). The combination powerfully suggests that a person's words should be trustworthy—that what they say is true and can be believed.
  • Together, 守信 (shǒuxìn) literally translates to “guarding one's trust” or “protecting one's word.” This creates a vivid image of integrity as something precious that must be actively defended.

Cultural Context and Significance

  • 守信 (shǒuxìn) is a cornerstone of Confucian ethics. The character 信 (xìn) is one of the Five Constant Virtues (五常, wǔcháng), alongside benevolence (仁), righteousness (义), propriety (礼), and wisdom (智). This elevates trustworthiness from a mere personality trait to a fundamental moral requirement for being a good person and building a stable society.
  • Comparison with “Keeping Your Word”: In Western cultures, “keeping your word” is certainly valued. However, 守信 in a Chinese context often carries a heavier weight related to social harmony and one's reputation or “face” (面子, miànzi). A single failure to be 守信 can cause a significant loss of face and damage long-term relationships (关系, guānxi) in a way that might be seen as less permanent in the West. It's not just about a single promise, but about one's entire character and reliability within the collective. In business, a reputation for being 守信 is more valuable than any short-term gain.

Practical Usage in Modern China

  • In Business: This is arguably the most important context. A company that is known to be 守信 honors its contracts, delivers on time, and is a reliable partner. The phrase 诚实守信 (chéngshí shǒuxìn - honest and trustworthy) is a common slogan and a high form of praise for a business.
  • In Personal Relationships: To call a friend 守信 is a huge compliment. It means they are dependable and you can count on them no matter what. It's the foundation of deep friendship.
  • As a Societal Value: The government often promotes 守信 as a core socialist value. Concepts like the Social Credit System are, in part, a technological attempt to quantify and enforce this traditional value, rewarding those who are 守信 and penalizing those who are 失信 (shīxìn - to lose trust).

Example Sentences

  • Example 1:
    • 做生意，最重要的是守信。
    • Pinyin: Zuò shēngyi, zuì zhòngyào de shì shǒuxìn.
    • English: When doing business, the most important thing is to be trustworthy.
    • Analysis: This is a very common piece of advice in the Chinese business world, highlighting the term's central role in commerce.
  • Example 2:
    • 他是个守信的人，答应你的事一定会做到。
    • Pinyin: Tā shì ge shǒuxìn de rén, dāyìng nǐ de shì yīdìng huì zuòdào.
    • English: He is a trustworthy person; he will definitely do what he promised you.
    • Analysis: Here, 守信 is used as an adjective to describe someone's character. `答应的事 (dāyìng de shì)` means “the thing promised.”
  • Example 3:
    • 我们公司一向守信用，所以客户都愿意跟我们合作。
    • Pinyin: Wǒmen gōngsī yīxiàng shǒu xìnyòng, suǒyǐ kèhù dōu yuànyì gēn wǒmen hézuò.
    • English: Our company has always been trustworthy, so clients are all willing to cooperate with us.
    • Analysis: The example uses a slightly different but related term, 信用 (xìnyòng - credit/trustworthiness). The verb `守 (shǒu)` is paired with it to mean “to maintain trustworthiness.” The core concept is identical.
  • Example 4:
    • 无论发生什么，我都会守信，履行我的诺言。
    • Pinyin: Wúlùn fāshēng shénme, wǒ dūhuì shǒuxìn, lǚxíng wǒ de nuòyán.
    • English: No matter what happens, I will keep my word and fulfill my promise.
    • Analysis: This sentence shows strong personal resolve. `履行诺言 (lǚxíng nuòyán)` means “to fulfill a promise,” and it's a perfect partner phrase for 守信.
  • Example 5:
    • 一个人如果不守信，就很难在社会上立足。
    • Pinyin: Yī ge rén rúguǒ bù shǒuxìn, jiù hěn nán zài shèhuì shàng lìzú.
    • English: If a person isn't trustworthy, it's very difficult for them to establish themselves in society.
    • Analysis: This illustrates the serious social consequences of not being 守信. `立足 (lìzú)` means “to gain a foothold” or “to establish oneself.”
  • Example 6:
    • 作为朋友，我们应该互相信任，彼此守信。
    • Pinyin: Zuòwéi péngyǒu, wǒmen yīnggāi hùxiāng xìnrèn, bǐcǐ shǒuxìn.
    • English: As friends, we should trust each other and be faithful to our word.
    • Analysis: This shows the term's use in the context of reciprocal relationships. `彼此 (bǐcǐ)` means “each other.”
  • Example 7:
    • 这家商店守信经营，从不卖假货。
    • Pinyin: Zhè jiā shāngdiàn shǒuxìn jīngyíng, cóngbù mài jiǎhuò.
    • English: This store operates with integrity and never sells fake goods.
    • Analysis: `守信经营 (shǒuxìn jīngyíng)` is a set phrase meaning “to run a business with integrity.”
  • Example 8:
    • 你能保证你是一个守信的合作伙伴吗？
    • Pinyin: Nǐ néng bǎozhèng nǐ shì yī ge shǒuxìn de hézuò huǒbàn ma?
    • English: Can you guarantee that you are a trustworthy partner?
    • Analysis: This is a direct question you might encounter in a business negotiation, showing how explicitly this value is discussed.
  • Example 9:
    • “言而有信”和“守信”的意思差不多。
    • Pinyin: “Yán ér yǒu xìn” hé “shǒuxìn” de yìsi chàbùduō.
    • English: The meaning of the idiom “yán ér yǒu xìn” and “shǒuxìn” are roughly the same.
    • Analysis: This sentence directly links 守信 to a common chengyu (idiom) that means “to be as good as one's word.”
  • Example 10:
    • 他上次失信于我，我再也不相信他能守信了。
    • Pinyin: Tā shàng cì shīxìn yú wǒ, wǒ zài yě bù xiāngxìn tā néng shǒuxìn le.
    • English: He broke his promise to me last time, I no longer believe he can be trustworthy.
    • Analysis: This sentence uses the antonym `失信 (shīxìn - to break a promise/lose trust)` to contrast with 守信, showing the cause-and-effect relationship between actions and reputation.

Nuances and Common Mistakes

  • 守信 (shǒuxìn) vs. 诚实 (chéngshí): This is a critical distinction for learners.
    • 诚实 (chéngshí) means “honest.” It refers to telling the truth and not deceiving others. It's about the content of your speech being factual.
    • 守信 (shǒuxìn) means “trustworthy” or “faithful to one's word.” It refers to following through on commitments and promises. It's about your actions aligning with your words.
    • Example of incorrect usage: If someone promises to help you move but gets sick and tells you honestly they can't come, they are being 诚实 (chéngshí), but they have failed to 守信 (shǒuxìn) in that specific instance (though it may be excusable). Confusing the two can lead to misunderstanding someone's character assessment.
  • Not just “Reliable”: While 守信 can be translated as “reliable,” it has a much stronger moral and ethical weight than the English word. A car can be “reliable,” but only a person or organization with moral agency can be 守信. Using “reliable” is a good start, but remember 守信 implies a conscious choice to uphold one's integrity.

Related Terms and Concepts

  • 信用 (xìnyòng) - Credit, trustworthiness. More formal and often used in financial or business contexts.
  • 信誉 (xìnyù) - Reputation, credibility, prestige. The public perception of one's trustworthiness.
  • 可靠 (kěkào) - Reliable, dependable. A close synonym, but can describe objects as well as people, and is slightly less focused on the moral dimension of keeping promises.
  • 诚实 (chéngshí) - Honest. A related but distinct concept focusing on truth-telling rather than promise-keeping.
  • 失信 (shīxìn) - To lose trust, to break a promise. The direct antonym of 守信.
  • 诺言 (nuòyán) - A promise, a commitment. This is the “thing” that one must 守信 about.
  • 保证 (bǎozhèng) - To guarantee, a guarantee. A specific act of promising, which requires you to be 守信.
  • 言而有信 (yán ér yǒu xìn) - A chengyu (idiom) meaning “to be as good as one's word.” It's a formal way to say someone is 守信.
  • 一诺千金 (yī nuò qiān jīn) - A chengyu (idiom) meaning “a single promise is worth a thousand pieces of gold,” beautifully illustrating the cultural value placed on being 守信.