真
really; truly; real
zhēn
What does 真 mean?
真 (zhēn) is both an adverb meaning 'really / truly' and an adjective meaning 'real / genuine.' As an adverb, it sits before an adjective or verb to add genuine emphasis: 真好 ('really good'), 真累 ('really tired'), 真喜欢 ('really like'). Two notes for English speakers: first, 真 carries more emotional weight than 很 ('very') — 很好 is a flat 'good,' while 真好 expresses surprise or sincere appreciation, like 'wow, that's great.' Second, as an adjective ('real, genuine'), it usually appears with 的: 真的故事 ('a true story'), 这是真的 ('this is real').
The opposite is 假 (jiǎ, 'fake'). When you hear 真的吗？ ('really?')
Character breakdown
real; true; genuinely
Memory hook: Picture 真 as an honest face — it's the character for what's real, no filter.
Example sentences
今天真冷。
Jīntiān zhēn lěng.
It's really cold today.
spoken
你真聪明！
Nǐ zhēn cōngming!
You're really smart!
spoken
这个故事是真的。
Zhège gùshi shì zhēn de.
This story is true.
neutral
真的吗？我不知道。
Zhēn de ma? Wǒ bù zhīdào.
Really? I had no idea.
spoken
他真喜欢吃中国菜。
Tā zhēn xǐhuan chī Zhōngguó cài.
He really likes eating Chinese food.
neutral
Common phrases with 真
Synonyms
很 is the neutral intensifier ('very'); it doesn't carry emotion. 真 is emotional emphasis ('really, genuinely'). 这个菜很好吃 = 'this dish is good'; 这个菜真好吃 = 'wow, this dish is really delicious.'
确实 means 'indeed / it is indeed the case' — confirming a fact. 真 is more emotional and casual. Use 确实 when agreeing seriously; use 真 when expressing surprise or feeling.
Don't confuse 真 with
真的 is the full adverbial form ('really, truly') and works on its own as an answer ('it's true'). 真 alone usually needs an adjective after it. 他真的来了 'he really came' vs 他真高 'he's really tall.'
正 means 'upright / right / just now' (as in 正在 'currently'). Visually different but semantically can confuse beginners — 正 is about position/timing, 真 is about truth/genuineness.
FAQ
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