实在 (shí zài) — really in Mandarin
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#938 most common word · HSK 4 · CEFR B2
Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Tone breakdown
实在 is pronounced shí zài. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.
In a sentence
tā shuō de hěn shí zài.
What he says is very genuine.
Hear it, then say it right
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
What does 实在 mean?+
实在 (shí zài) means "really" in Mandarin Chinese.
How do you pronounce 实在?+
实在 is pronounced shí zài. It uses the tone 2 (rising), then the tone 4 (falling). Tap the character on this page to hear native audio.
How common is 实在 in Mandarin?+
实在 is the #938 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.
Where 实在 fits
Every HSK 4 word with tone-coloured pinyin and audio.
Words at a similar frequency
Master the tones first
What each tone sounds like and why it matters.
Why some tones change in connected speech.
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