实在 (shízài) · honest

实在 (shízài) means “honest; real; down-to-earth”. It is written with 2 characters: 实 (real) + 在 (at). It is an HSK 4 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).

How 实在 is built

The characters

实 shí · real

What 实 is made of

宀 — roof
- 丶 — dot
- 冖mì — cover
头tóu — head
- ⺀ — ice
- 大dà — big
  - 一 — horizontal stroke
  - 人rén — person

在 zài · at

What 在 is made of

才cái — ability
- 扌shǒu — hand
  - 二 — two strokes
  - 亅 — hook
土tǔ — earth
- 十 — ten
  - 一 — horizontal stroke
  - 丨 — vertical stroke
- 一 — horizontal stroke

Origin hint: 土 gives the meaning, 才 gives the sound. (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)

Example sentences

他是个实在人。Tā shì ge shízài rén.He is an honest, down-to-earth person.

这家店的菜很实在。Zhè jiā diàn de cài hěn shízài.The food at this restaurant is honest and generous.

我实在太累了。Wǒ shízai tài lèi le.I'm really too tired.

这个问题实在太难了。Zhège wèntí shízai tài nán le.This question is really too hard.

Questions about 实在

What does 实在 mean?

实在 (shízài) means “honest; real; down-to-earth”.

How do you pronounce 实在?

实在 is pronounced shízài.

Which HSK level is 实在?

实在 is in HSK 4 (exam 2025) and HSK 2 (2021) and Old HSK 4.

Related words

Learn 实在 with its group

It is part of HSK 2 (2021) · Group 19: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.

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