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Kanji for Truth
The kanji most commonly used for "Truth" are 真、実、誠.
真
Kanji that mean Truth
真 (shin / ma) is truth as the genuine — 真実 (shinjitsu) is truth, 真剣 is serious (“a real sword”), 写真 is a photograph: “truth copied”. As a prefix, ma- intensifies to the pure case of anything: 真っ白, pure white; 真夜中, dead of night. In names (Makoto, Shin, Mana) it pledges authenticity.
実 (jitsu / mi) is truth as the actual — and the fruit. The character shows abundance under a roof; its senses run from 果実 (fruit) to 事実 (fact) to 実力 (real ability). Something 実際 is how things actually are. Where 真 is genuine versus fake, 実 is real versus imagined — substance that ripened.
誠 (sei / makoto) is truth in conduct: sincerity, words 言 made 成 real. And 理 (ri) is truth as principle — the logic of 真理, ultimate truth, the word philosophy uses. Four characters where English says “truth”: the genuine, the actual, the sincere, the principled.
Words using Truth kanji
Everyday Japanese vocabulary built from the characters above.
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写真
しゃしん
photograph; photo; picture
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事実
じじつ
fact; truth; reality
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誠実
せいじつ
sincere; honest; faithful
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真相
しんそう
truth; real situation
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実施
じっし
enforcement; implementation; putting into practice
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誠意
せいい
sincerity; good faith
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真の
しんの
true; real; genuine
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現実
げんじつ
reality; actuality; hard fact
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忠誠
ちゅうせい
loyalty; sincerity; allegiance
Before you use Truth kanji
真 is the cleanest single "truth" — genuine, real, and a beloved name character. 誠 shifts the meaning to personal integrity (and carries the Shinsengumi banner). 真実 in full is the courtroom word for truth. All are safe; 実 alone reads as "fruit/substance" first, which is its own kind of lovely.