What does 誠 mean in Japanese?
誠 means sincerity, honesty, and integrity in Japanese. You will find it in words such as 誠実 (sincere, honest), 誠意 (sincerity, good faith), and 忠誠 (loyalty, fidelity).
For learners, 誠 is best understood as a quality of the heart — not just factual truth, but the sincere and honest attitude you bring to your words and actions.
Reading
On’yomi: セイ (sei)
Kun’yomi: まこと (makoto)
Basic Information
| Kanji | 誠 |
|---|
How to Understand This Kanji
誠 goes beyond the English word ‘truth.’ It carries a sense of wholehearted sincerity — an honest attitude and genuine spirit in how you treat others. In 誠実 (sincere, honest), it describes a person’s overall character; in 誠意 (sincerity, good faith), it refers to the genuine effort and honest intent behind an action; in 忠誠 (loyalty), it points to faithful, unwavering devotion.
Common Words
- 誠（まこと / makoto） — sincerity, truth, genuineness
- 誠実（せいじつ / seijitsu） — sincere, honest, faithful
- 誠意（せいい / seii） — sincerity, good faith
- 不誠実（ふせいじつ / fuseijitsu） — insincere, dishonest
- 忠誠（ちゅうせい / chuusei） — loyalty, fidelity
- 至誠（しせい / shisei） — utmost sincerity, wholehearted devotion
Example Sentences
-
彼は誠実な人です。
かれはせいじつなひとです。 / Kare wa seijitsu na hito desu.
He is a sincere and honest person.
-
彼女は誠意を持って謝りました。
かのじょはせいいをもってあやまりました。 / Kanojo wa seii o motte ayamarimashita.
She apologized with sincere regret.
-
誠の心で人に接することが大切です。
まことのこころでひとにせっすることがたいせつです。 / Makoto no kokoro de hito ni sessuru koto ga taisetsu desu.
It is important to treat people with a sincere heart.
When Learners Usually See This Kanji
For English speakers, 誠 is best understood as sincerity or integrity rather than truth as a fact. The key compound is 誠実 (seijitsu) — meaning sincere or honest — which is widely used to describe trustworthy people and actions. Another common compound is 誠意 (seii), meaning sincerity or good faith, which appears in apologies and formal situations. The kun’yomi まこと (makoto) is used in literary and traditional contexts, and also appears as a Japanese given name.
Summary
誠 means sincerity, honesty, and integrity. It describes a truthful and genuine attitude toward others, appearing in words for trustworthy character and wholehearted good faith.