sing4 ji3誠意诚意
Jyutpingsing4 ji3
Yalesìhng yi
Definition
Sincerity, good faith, or earnestness.
neutralemotionpeople
How it's used
Focuses on the effort or heart put into an action rather than just the feeling itself. It is frequently used to evaluate whether someone is genuinely trying to resolve a conflict or build a relationship. When someone is accused of lacking this, it implies they are just going through the motions without real commitment.
Examples
The gift he gave really shows a lot of sincerity.
Do you think he is sincere about his apology?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the adjective 誠實, which specifically means honest or truthful. 誠意 is about the depth of one's intention and effort, whereas 誠實 is about the absence of lies.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
