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Kanji Detail for 真 - "true, truth, pure"

真

  • Meaning

    真 means "true, truth, pure."

    1. True - Genuine; real; authentic.

    2. Truth - Reality; sincerity.

    3. Pure - Unadulterated; natural.

  • Words using 真

    • 写真 しゃしん Listen photograph; photo; picture
    • 真相 しんそう Listen truth; real situation
    • 真の しんの Listen true; real; genuine
    • 真実 しんじつ Listen truth; reality; truly
    • 真ん中 まんなか Listen middle; centre; center
    • 真意 しんい Listen real intention; true motive; true meaning
    • 写真集 しゃしんしゅう Listen photo book (esp. one featuring photos of female celebrities, models); photobook
    • 真理 しんり Listen truth

  • Four-character idioms with 真

    • 真一文字 まいちもんじ Listen straight line; beeline
    • 天真爛漫 てんしんらんまん Listen innocent; naive; artless
    • 正真正銘 しょうしんしょうめい Listen genuine; authentic; true
    • 真剣勝負 しんけんしょうぶ Listen fighting with real swords; game played in real earnest
    • 真実一路 しんじついちろ Listen path of sincerity
    • 真相究明 しんそうきゅうめい Listen probe into the truth (of the matter); dig into the real facts of the case; get at the root of a matter

  • Origin of 真

    The oldest forms show a ladle above a cauldron — contents proven by tasting. Accounts differ (the Shuowen read an ascended immortal into it); the surviving sense is what survives testing: the true.

    How to remember it: Dip the ladle and taste — what stands the test of the pot is true.

    Sources: en.wiktionary.org · mojinavi.com

  • Tattoo check: 真

    • Verified meaning: true, truth, pure
    • Official Jōyō kanji — a standard character every Japanese reader recognises
    • Used in real Japanese given names (read あつし, こころ, さな, さねさき)

    A single kanji rarely maps one-to-one onto an English word. Read the meanings and associations above as a set — a character that fits the dictionary definition can still carry a connotation you did not intend.

  • Name readings of 真

    Given names 真(あつし)Listen 真(こころ)Listen 真(さな)Listen 真(しん)Listen 真(ただし)Listen 真(まお)Listen 真(まこ)Listen

    Surnames 真(さねさき)Listen 真(しんさき)Listen 真(しんざき)Listen 真(しんじ)Listen 真(まがさき)Listen

  • Compare with other kanji that mean the same thing:

  • Dictionary Citations

    The meaning above is based on the following sources:

    KANJIDIC2 A comprehensive Japanese-English kanji dictionary

    true; reality; Buddhist sect

    Unihan Unicode Han Database for CJK characters

    real, actual, true, genuine

    CC-CEDICT A Chinese-English dictionary

    really; truly; indeed; real; true; genuine

    Make Me a Hanzi Open-source Chinese character data

    real, actual, true, genuine

    XSZD Xuéshēng Zìdiǎn (學生字典) - Student's Dictionary

    Not false. Such as saying 真實 (true). | An immortal. Daoists call those who attain the Way through cultivation 真人 (true person). Confucians speak of 誠 (sincerity). Buddhism and Daoism often speak of 真. Such as Buddha is called 真如. Heaven is called 真宰 and such. | Painting portraits is called 寫真. Today photography is also called 寫真. | Officials with actual appointments are called 真. Such as saying 真除 (actual appointment), 卽真 (confirmed). The expression originates from (Book of Han).

  • Onyomi

    tip

    shin(シン) シン

  • Kunyomi

    tip

    ma(ま) ま

    makoto(まこと) まこと

  • Strokes

    tip

    10 strokes

  • Radical

    tip

    目 罒 (me・mehen)

  • Related Keywords

    true truth pure accurate complete genuine natural unaltered reality authentic correct devoted faithful honest innocent legitimate loyal precision proper purity real sincere sincerity

Sentences including 真

  • Few know the truth of the matter.

  • Here is a photograph of my family.

  • I am reluctant to tell her the truth.

  • It was dark when he came in.

  • I have some pictures to show you.

  • It won't be long before we know the truth.

  • The very opposite is the truth.

  • If she were here now , i would tell her the truth.

  • Can someone take our picture?

  • It is time you told her the truth.

Sentences from Japanese classical masterpieces

More kanji with the radical 目 罒 (me・mehen)

See all kanji with this radical →

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