每天成语
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实事求是

*The explanations on this page are generated by AI. Please note that they may contain inaccurate information.

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: shí shì qiú shì
  • English Translation: Seeking truth from facts (being realistic and objective)
  • Idiom Composition: 「实事」（Actual matters; objective facts.）＋「求」（To seek, research, or explore.）＋「是」（The truth, correct principles, or laws (not the modern meaning of 'to be').）
  • Meaning: To seek the truth or the correct laws of things based on objective facts, setting aside subjectivity and prejudice. In modern usage, it is a complimentary term for an attitude of acting honestly and realistically according to the actual situation, avoiding idealism or ostentation.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「实事求是」 contains the following nuances:

  • Scientific and Objective Attitude: Emphasizes a scientific and empirical approach that starts from the 'facts before one's eyes' rather than from fantasy or wishful thinking.
  • Integrity and Honesty: Includes the ethical integrity of reporting and handling things exactly as they are, without lying or exaggerating.

3. Usage

「实事求是」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • Work and Research Attitude: A formal expression used in business or academic settings to evaluate or demand a solid approach based on data and facts.
    • Example:「做市场调查必须实事求是，不能只报喜不报忧。」
      （When conducting market research, one must seek truth from facts and not just report the good news while hiding the bad.)
  • Problem Solving: Used when advising that a situation should be handled by accurately grasping the current reality rather than relying on excuses or speculation.
    • Example:「我们要实事求是地分析这次失败的原因，不要互相推卸责任。」
      （We should analyze the cause of this failure objectively based on the facts instead of shifting blame to one another.)
  • Politics and Slogans: A crucial keyword in Chinese political discourse, frequently mentioned as a guiding principle for organizations and leadership.
    • Example:「坚持实事求是的原则，是我们在工作中取得成功的关键。」
      （Adhering to the principle of seeking truth from facts is the key to our success in our work.)

Additional Examples:

  1. 他这个人一向实事求是，从来不说大话。
    （He has always been realistic and down-to-earth, never making empty boasts.）
  2. 写简历要实事求是，夸大经历反而会失去信任。
    （When writing a resume, you should stick to the facts; exaggerating your experience will only lead to a loss of trust.）
  3. 不管情况多么复杂，我们都要采取实事求是的态度。
    （No matter how complex the situation is, we must adopt an attitude of facing the facts as they are.）
  4. 老师教导我们，做学问要严谨，必须实事求是。
    （The teacher taught us that scholarship should be rigorous and must always be evidence-based.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • Source: From the Book of Han (诗经), 'Biography of the King of Hejian.' Originally, it referred to a philological academic attitude of collecting ancient documents to find the truth.
  • Political Significance: In modern China, Mao Zedong (毛泽东) redefined this term as the core of the Communist Party's ideological line. It was used to criticize 'dogmatism' and remains a very weighty term today.
  • School Motto: Due to its academic resonance and emphasis on integrity, it serves as the motto for many institutions, such as Renmin University of China (中国人民大学) and Hunan University (湖南大学).

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

实事求是 (shí shì qiú shì) is a highly positive and serious idiom that emphasizes pursuing truth based on evidence. It is used in academic, business, and political contexts to praise or demand a 'realistic,' 'objective,' and 'honest' attitude. It carries a stronger nuance of valuing data and evidence than simply being 'honest.'

Featured in the Chuken exam (Japan's Chinese test)Level 1

Idiom Essay

shí shì qiú shì
实事求是
Seeking Truth from Facts
wǒ men我们zài在zuò做jué dìng决定de的shí hòu时候，nǎo dài脑袋lǐ里wǎng wǎng往往huì会yǒu有hěn很duō多shēng yīn声音。

When we make decisions, there are often many voices in our heads.

yǒu有de的shēng yīn声音lái zì来自bié rén别人de的kàn fǎ看法，yǒu有de的shēng yīn声音lái zì来自wǒ men我们zì jǐ自己de的miàn zi面子，hái yǒu还有yī zhǒng一种shēng yīn声音，lái zì来自wǒ men我们měi hǎo美好de的yuàn wàng愿望——wǒ men我们zǒng总xī wàng希望shì qíng事情biàn dé变得róng yì容易yì diǎn一点，huò zhě或者jié guǒ结果néng能hǎo好yì diǎn一点。

Some voices come from others' opinions, some from our own ego, and another from our beautiful wishes—we always hope things will be easier or the outcome will be better.

kě shì可是，wǎng wǎng往往jiù shì就是zhè xiē这些zá luàn杂乱de的shēng yīn声音，ràng让wǒ men我们kàn bù qīng看不清zhēn xiàng真相。

However, it is often these cluttered voices that prevent us from seeing the truth clearly.

zhōng wén中文lǐ里，yǒu有yí gè一个fēi cháng非常wěn zhòng稳重、yě也fēi cháng非常yǒu有lì liàng力量de的chéng yǔ成语，zhuān mén专门yòng lái用来bāng帮wǒ men我们bǎ把zhè xiē这些zá yīn杂音guān diào关掉，huí dào回到dì miàn地面。

In Chinese, there is a very steady and powerful idiom specifically used to help us turn off these noises and return to the ground.

zhè ge这个cí词jiào叫“shí shì qiú shì实事求是”。

This term is 实事求是.

zhè这sì gè四个zì字，qí shí其实kě yǐ可以fēn chéng分成liǎng bàn两半lái来kàn看。

These four characters can actually be divided into two halves.

qián前bàn bù fèn半部分shì是“shí shì实事”。

The first half is 实事.

tā它zhǐ指de的shì是kè guān客观cún zài存在de的shì qíng事情——bù guǎn不管nǐ你xǐ喜bù不xǐ huān喜欢，tā它dōu都bǎi摆zài在nà lǐ那里，bù zēng bù jiǎn不增不减。

It refers to things that exist objectively—whether you like it or not, they are there, neither increasing nor decreasing.

hòu bàn bù fèn后半部分shì是“qiú shì求是”。

The second half is 求是.

zhè lǐ这里de的“shì是”，bú shì不是“shì bú shì是不是”de的“shì是”，ér shì而是zhǐ指shì wù事物nèi bù内部de的zhēn lǐ真理hé和guī lǜ规律。

The 是 here is not the 是 of "to be," but refers to the internal truths and laws of things.

hé qǐ lái合起来，tā它de的yì si意思jiù shì就是：wǒ men我们yào要cóng从shí jì实际de的qíng kuàng情况chū fā出发，qù去xún zhǎo寻找jiě jué解决wèn tí问题de的zhèng què正确bàn fǎ办法。

Combined, it means we should start from actual conditions to find the correct way to solve problems.

zhè ge这个cí词tīng qǐ lái听起来kě néng可能yǒu diǎn有点yán sù严肃，xiàng像shì是zài在zuò做kē xué yán jiū科学研究。

This term might sound a bit serious, like doing scientific research.

dàn但qí shí其实，tā它zài在shēng huó生活zhōng中fēi cháng非常yǒu yòng有用，shèn zhì甚至kě yǐ可以shuō说，tā它shì是yī zhǒng一种jí极gāo高de的zhì huì智慧。

But in fact, it is very useful in life; one could even say it is a form of supreme wisdom.

xiǎng xiàng想象yī xià一下，dāng当nǐ你gōng zuò工作chū出le了cuò错，huò zhě或者xué xí学习yù dào遇到le了píng jǐng瓶颈。

Imagine when you make a mistake at work or hit a bottleneck in your studies.

rú guǒ如果bù不“shí shì qiú shì实事求是”，wǒ men我们kě néng可能huì会zhǎo jiè kǒu找借口，kě néng可能huì会guài怪yùn qì运气bù hǎo不好，huò zhě或者jiǎ zhuāng假装wèn tí问题bù不cún zài存在。

If we do not 实事求是, we might make excuses, blame bad luck, or pretend the problem doesn't exist.

dàn但rú guǒ如果nǐ你xuǎn zé选择“shí shì qiú shì实事求是”，jiù就yì wèi zhe意味着nǐ你yào要bǎ把“yuàn wàng愿望”hé和“shì shí事实”fēn kāi分开。

But if you choose 实事求是, it means you must separate "wishes" from "facts."

nǐ你xū yào需要chéng shí诚实dì地chéng rèn承认：xiàn zài现在de的zī yuán资源jiù shì就是bù gòu不够，huò zhě或者wǒ我de的fāng fǎ方法jiù shì就是cuò错le了。

You need to honestly admit: current resources are simply not enough, or my method is simply wrong.

zhè这bìng并bù不róng yì容易，yīn wèi因为chéng rèn承认xiàn shí现实wǎng wǎng往往ràng让rén人bù shū fú不舒服。

This is not easy, because admitting reality often makes people uncomfortable.

suǒ yǐ所以，“shí shì qiú shì实事求是”bù jǐn jǐn不仅仅shì是yī zhǒng一种zuò shì做事de的fāng fǎ方法，tā它gèng更shì是yī zhǒng一种yǒng qì勇气。

Therefore, 实事求是 is not just a way of doing things; it is, more importantly, a form of courage.

tā它tí xǐng提醒wǒ men我们：bú yào不要bèi被hǎo tīng好听de的huà话mí huò迷惑，yě也bú yào不要bèi被zì jǐ自己de的huàn xiǎng幻想qī piàn欺骗。

It reminds us: do not be misled by pleasant words, and do not be deceived by your own fantasies.

zhǐ yǒu只有dāng当nǐ你gǎn yú敢于miàn duì面对shì qíng事情běn lái本来de的yàng zi样子shí时，nǐ你cái néng才能zhǎo dào找到zhēn zhèng真正tōng wǎng通往dá àn答案de的lù路。

Only when you dare to face things as they truly are can you find the real path to the answer.

xià cì下次，dāng当nǐ你zài在yī duī一堆fù zá复杂de的xuǎn zé选择zhōng中gǎn dào感到mí máng迷茫shí时，bù fáng不妨yòng用zhè ge这个cí词tí xǐng提醒yī xià一下zì jǐ自己：xiān先bié guǎn别管wǒ我xiǎng想zěn me yàng怎么样，yě也bié guǎn别管bié rén别人zěn me怎么shuō说，ràng让wǒ men我们“shí shì qiú shì实事求是”dì地kàn yī kàn看一看，xiàn zài现在dào dǐ到底shì是shén me什么qíng kuàng情况。

Next time, when you feel lost among complex choices, try using this term to remind yourself: regardless of what I want or what others say, let's look at the situation 实事求是 to see what is actually happening.

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