认真 (rèn zhēn) — conscientious in Mandarin

rèn​ zhēn
“conscientious”

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#1039 most common word · HSK 3 · CEFR B1

Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.

Tone breakdown

认真 is pronounced rèn zhēn. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.

rèn
fourth tone (sharp falling, ˋ)
zhēn
first tone (high & flat, ˉ)

In a sentence

Tā hěn rènzhēn.

He is very conscientious.

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Frequently asked questions

What does 认真 mean?+

认真 (rèn zhēn) means "conscientious" in Mandarin Chinese.

How do you pronounce 认真?+

认真 is pronounced rèn zhēn. It uses the tone 4 (falling), then the tone 1 (high flat). Tap the character on this page to hear native audio.

How common is 认真 in Mandarin?+

认真 is the #1039 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.

Where 认真 fits

HSK 3 · CEFR B1
See the full HSK 3 vocabulary list

Every HSK 3 word with tone-coloured pinyin and audio.

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Browse more on the Mandarin vocabulary hub, or read how to learn Mandarin tones.