tǎnbái: 坦白 - To Confess, Frank, Candid

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• Summary: Learn the meaning and use of the Chinese word 坦白 (tǎnbái), a crucial term for “to confess” or “to be frank.” This guide explores how tǎnbái is used in situations ranging from police interrogations to personal conversations, its deep cultural significance (including the famous phrase 坦白从宽), and how it differs from simply “admitting” something. Master tǎnbái to understand the nuances of honesty and confession in Chinese culture.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): tǎn bái
• Part of Speech: Verb, Adjective
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To confess something negative or secret; to be frank or candid.
• In a Nutshell: 坦白 (tǎnbái) is about laying your cards on the table, usually when those cards reveal a mistake, a secret, or an uncomfortable truth. As a verb, it's a “confession” that unburdens the speaker, often under some form of pressure. As an adjective, it describes someone who is refreshingly (or sometimes bluntly) open and honest.

• 坦 (tǎn): This character's original meaning is “flat” or “level,” like open ground. The earth radical (土) on the left hints at this. Metaphorically, it means open, calm, or candid.
• 白 (bái): This character means “white,” “pure,” or “clear.” It also carries the meaning of “to make something clear” or “to explain.”

The two characters combine to create a vivid image: to make something openly (坦) clear (白). It’s the act of smoothing everything out and revealing the plain, unvarnished truth.

In Western cultures, “confession” often has religious or deeply personal, moral undertones (e.g., confessing sins for absolution). While 坦白 (tǎnbái) can be personal, its significance in Chinese culture is heavily tied to social dynamics and pragmatism. The most famous embodiment of this concept is the official policy and well-known phrase: 坦白从宽，抗拒从严 (tǎnbái cóng kuān, kàngjù cóng yán), which translates to “Leniency to those who confess, severity to those who resist.” This isn't just a line from police dramas; it reflects a deep-seated cultural script where admitting wrongdoing to an authority figure (a parent, a teacher, the government) is seen as the first step toward restoring harmony and receiving a more favorable outcome. Unlike the Western ideal of “honesty is the best policy,” where being frank is almost always a virtue, being 坦白 in China can be a calculated risk. It can be a tool to gain leniency, but it can also cause someone (including yourself) to lose face. The decision to be 坦白 is often a strategic one, weighing the cost of hiding the truth against the potential consequences of revealing it.

坦白 (tǎnbái) is a versatile word used in both serious and lighthearted contexts.

• As a Verb (To Confess): This is its most common function. It implies confessing something you've done wrong, a secret you've kept, or hidden feelings.
  • Formal: In a legal setting, a suspect will 坦白 their crimes to the police.
  • Informal: A child might 坦白 to their parents that they broke a vase. A friend might 坦白 that they have a crush on someone.
• As an Adjective (Frank/Candid): This describes a person's character or manner of speaking.
  • Positive: “他这个人很坦白” (He is a very frank person) is often a compliment, suggesting they are straightforward and not deceitful.
  • Neutral/Negative: It can sometimes imply a lack of tact, similar to “blunt.”
• As a Discourse Marker: The phrase 坦白说 (tǎnbái shuō) or 坦白地讲 (tǎnbái de jiǎng) means “to be frank” or “honestly speaking.” It's used to signal that you're about to say something very direct or possibly uncomfortable.

Example 1:

• 他最后还是向警察坦白了所有的事情。
• Pinyin: Tā zuìhòu háishì xiàng jǐngchá tǎnbái le suǒyǒu de shìqíng.
• English: In the end, he confessed everything to the police.
• Analysis: This is a classic, formal use of 坦白 as a verb in a legal context.

Example 2:

• 我必须跟你坦白一件事：我不小心把你最喜欢的杯子打破了。
• Pinyin: Wǒ bìxū gēn nǐ tǎnbái yí jiàn shì: wǒ bù xiǎoxīn bǎ nǐ zuì xǐhuān de bēizi dǎpò le.
• English: I have to confess something to you: I accidentally broke your favorite cup.
• Analysis: Here, 坦白 is used informally between individuals to admit a mistake. It carries a sense of apology and coming clean.

Example 3:

• 坦白从宽，抗拒从严。你还是快说吧！
• Pinyin: Tǎnbái cóng kuān, kàngjù cóng yán. Nǐ háishì kuài shuō ba!
• English: Leniency to those who confess, severity to those who resist. You'd better speak up now!
• Analysis: This showcases the famous idiom. It's often used by authority figures to pressure someone into confessing.

Example 4:

• 她坦白说，她对这个项目并不感兴趣。
• Pinyin: Tā tǎnbái shuō, tā duì zhège xiàngmù bìng bù gǎn xìngqù.
• English: She said frankly that she wasn't interested in this project.
• Analysis: Using 坦白说 (tǎnbái shuō) as a set phrase meaning “to speak frankly.” It signals a direct and honest opinion.

Example 5:

• 我喜欢他，因为他是一个很坦白的人。
• Pinyin: Wǒ xǐhuān tā, yīnwèi tā shì yí ge hěn tǎnbái de rén.
• English: I like him because he is a very frank/candid person.
• Analysis: This demonstrates 坦白 used as an adjective to describe someone's character in a positive light.

Example 6:

• 他终于向暗恋了很久的女孩坦白了。
• Pinyin: Tā zhōngyú xiàng ànliàn le hěn jiǔ de nǚhái tǎnbái le.
• English: He finally confessed his feelings to the girl he'd had a crush on for a long time.
• Analysis: 坦白 is often used for confessing feelings, revealing the “secret” of one's emotions.

Example 7:

• 如果你不坦白，我们永远都不会知道真相。
• Pinyin: Rúguǒ nǐ bù tǎnbái, wǒmen yǒngyuǎn dōu bù huì zhīdào zhēnxiàng.
• English: If you don't confess, we will never know the truth.
• Analysis: This sentence highlights the role of 坦白 in revealing a hidden truth.

Example 8:

• 坦白地讲，你的这个计划成功的可能性很小。
• Pinyin: Tǎnbái de jiǎng, nǐ de zhège jìhuà chénggōng de kěnéngxìng hěn xiǎo.
• English: To be frank, the possibility of your plan succeeding is very small.
• Analysis: Similar to example 4, 坦白地讲 (tǎnbái de jiǎng) is another common way to say “frankly speaking,” often before giving criticism.

Example 9:

• 在父母的追问下，孩子坦白了自己考试不及格的事实。
• Pinyin: Zài fùmǔ de zhuīwèn xià, háizi tǎnbái le zìjǐ kǎoshì bù jígé de shìshí.
• English: Under his parents' questioning, the child confessed the fact that he had failed the exam.
• Analysis: This shows 坦白 happening under pressure from an authority figure (parents), a very common cultural scenario.

Example 10:

• 别瞒着我了，给我一个坦白的机会。
• Pinyin: Bié mán zhe wǒ le, gěi wǒ yí ge tǎnbái de jīhuì.
• English: Stop hiding it from me, give me a chance to be honest with you. (Or, more naturally: Just be honest with me.)
• Analysis: This is a slightly unusual but valid construction. The speaker is asking the listener to be honest, framing it as an “opportunity to confess/be frank.”

• 坦白 (tǎnbái) vs. 承认 (chéngrèn): This is the most common point of confusion.
  • 坦白 (tǎnbái) is for confessing something negative, secret, or shameful. You 坦白 a crime, a lie, or a mistake.
  • 承认 (chéngrèn) is for “admitting” or “acknowledging” a neutral fact. You 承认 that you are tired, that another person is smart, or that a project was successful.
  • Incorrect: 我坦白我很累。 (Wǒ tǎnbái wǒ hěn lèi.) → This is wrong. Being tired isn't a shameful secret.
  • Correct: 我承认我很累。 (Wǒ chéngrèn wǒ hěn lèi.)
  • Correct: 我坦白我昨天撒谎说我不累。(Wǒ tǎnbái wǒ zuótiān sāhuǎng shuō wǒ bù lèi.) - “I confess that I lied yesterday when I said I wasn't tired.”
• 坦白 (tǎnbái) vs. “Frank”: While 坦白 can mean “frank,” it carries more weight than in English. Prefacing a statement with “我跟你坦白 (Wǒ gēn nǐ tǎnbái)” sounds much more serious than “I'll be frank with you.” It implies a heavy confession is coming. For a lighter touch, it's better to use 坦白说 (tǎnbái shuō) or the more common 说实话 (shuō shíhuà), which means “to tell the truth.”

• 承认 (chéngrèn) - To admit or acknowledge. A more neutral synonym for “to admit a fact,” not necessarily something negative.
• 交代 (jiāodài) - To confess, explain, or account for. Often used when someone is under pressure to give a full account of what happened.
• 诚实 (chéngshí) - Honest. This is a general character trait, whereas 坦白 is a specific act of honesty about a hidden matter.
• 坦率 (tǎnshuài) - Frank and candid (adjective). Very similar to 坦白 as an adjective, often used to describe someone's personality in a positive way.
• 直率 (zhíshuài) - Straightforward, blunt (adjective). Describes someone who speaks their mind directly, perhaps with less concern for diplomacy.
• 自首 (zìshǒu) - To turn oneself in (to the police). This is a very specific, formal type of 坦白 related to a crime.
• 供认 (gòngrèn) - To confess (a crime). A very formal, legal term used in official reports and court proceedings.
• 坦白从宽，抗拒从严 (tǎnbái cóng kuān, kàngjù cóng yán) - The full idiom: Leniency for confession, severity for resistance.