Meaning
正直
zhèng zhí
Integrity, uprightness
- 正
- upright, correct
- 直
- straight
Upright and straight: honest in what you do.
Integrity in Chinese
The Chinese word for integrity is 正直 (zhèng zhí). Upright and straight: honest in what you do.
正直
zhèng zhí
Integrity
What 正直 means.
正 is upright and 直 is straight, so 正直 describes a person who does not bend the rules. 诚信 is honesty and keeping your word, one of the core values taught in Chinese schools.
- 正
- upright, correct
- 直
- straight
Simplified and traditional
正直
正直
正直 is written the same way in simplified and traditional Chinese, so every Chinese reader recognises it.
Pick the shade of meaning.
Chinese often has more than one word where English has one. Here is how they differ.
Meaning
诚信
chéng xìn
Honesty, keeping your word
- 诚
- sincere
- 信
- trust, faith
Sincerity and trustworthiness.
About integrity in Chinese
How do you write integrity in Chinese?
Integrity is 正直 in Chinese, pronounced zhèng zhí. Integrity, uprightness 正 means “upright, correct”, 直 means “straight”.
How do you pronounce 正直?
Say zhèng (fourth tone, falling), zhí (second tone, rising). Mandarin tones change meaning, so it is worth listening to a native speaker once.
Is 正直 different in traditional Chinese?
No. 正直 is written the same way in simplified and traditional Chinese.
What other Chinese words mean integrity?
诚信 (chéng xìn): Honesty, keeping your word Sincerity and trustworthiness.
Is 正直 a good Chinese tattoo?
Yes, it is a real, everyday Chinese word rather than a machine translation, so Chinese readers will understand it. Keep the characters in their order, top to bottom or left to right, and never mirrored. Choose a readable style such as Kaishu, bring a clean reference to your artist, and show it to a fluent reader before your appointment.