shouxinyong: 守信用 - Trustworthy, To Keep One's Word, Credible

• Keywords: shou xin yong, 守信用, shou xinyong meaning, what does shou xinyong mean, Chinese for trustworthy, keep one's word in Chinese, honor a commitment Chinese, credible in Chinese, Chinese business culture, integrity in Chinese, creditworthiness in Chinese.
• Summary: Learn the meaning and cultural importance of 守信用 (shǒu xìn yòng), a fundamental Chinese term for being trustworthy and keeping one's word. This page breaks down what it means to “guard your credit,” its deep roots in Chinese culture, and how it's an essential concept for building relationships and conducting business in modern China. Discover practical examples and related terms to master this crucial aspect of Chinese integrity.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): shǒu xìn yòng
• Part of Speech: Verb-Object Phrase (often functions as a verb or an adjective)
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To be trustworthy by consistently keeping one's promises and honoring commitments.
• In a Nutshell: 守信用 (shǒu xìn yòng) isn't just about telling the truth; it's about being reliable and proving your integrity through action. It literally translates to “guarding one's credit,” where “credit” is not just financial, but social and moral. A person who is 守信用 is someone you can count on to do what they say they will do, making them a valued friend, partner, or business associate.

• 守 (shǒu): To guard, to protect, to keep, or to defend. Think of a soldier guarding a post—it's an active, vigilant process.
• 信 (xìn): Trust, faith, or belief. The character is composed of 人 (rén, person) and 言 (yán, word), suggesting that a person's words should be believable and trustworthy.
• 用 (yòng): To use or application. In this context, it's part of the compound 信用 (xìnyòng), which means “credit” or “trustworthiness.”

When combined, 守信用 (shǒu xìn yòng) means to actively “guard your trustworthiness.” You are protecting your reputation for being reliable, which is seen as a precious asset in Chinese culture.

In Chinese culture, 守信用 is more than just a positive personality trait; it's a cornerstone of social harmony and the foundation of all meaningful relationships, a concept known as 关系 (guānxi). Rooted in Confucian values of integrity (诚, chéng) and righteousness (义, yì), being a person who keeps their word is a fundamental moral obligation. A useful comparison is to the Western concept of “a legally binding contract.” In the West, a signed contract is often seen as the ultimate symbol of a commitment. While contracts are certainly used in China, a person's or company's long-standing reputation for 守信用 can often be seen as even more important. It's the social and moral collateral that makes business possible in the first place. Breaking a promise doesn't just risk a lawsuit; it risks destroying your social credit, losing face (面子, miànzi), and being ostracized from valuable social and business networks. This social enforcement makes the concept incredibly powerful.

守信用 is a relatively formal term used to describe a core value in people and organizations.

• In Business: This is arguably where the term is most critical. A company that is 守信用 delivers on its promises, pays on time, and honors its agreements. It's a non-negotiable quality for long-term partnerships. The modern Social Credit System (社会信用体系) in China can be seen as a technological attempt to institutionalize and track this deeply ingrained cultural value on a massive scale.
• In Personal Life: You praise a friend for being 守信用 to indicate they are reliable and dependable. It's a high compliment that speaks to their character. You would say someone is 守信用 if they always show up on time, repay loans promptly, and follow through on their commitments, big or small.
• As a Personal Principle: It is often stated as a personal or corporate value. Someone might say, “做人要守信用” (Zuòrén yào shǒu xìnyòng), meaning “To be a good person, you must be trustworthy.”

• Example 1:
  • 他是一个很守信用的人，答应你的事一定会做到。
  • Pinyin: Tā shì yīgè hěn shǒu xìnyòng de rén, dāyìng nǐ de shì yīdìng huì zuò dào.
  • English: He is a very trustworthy person; he will definitely do what he promises you.
  • Analysis: This is a common way to praise someone's character, using 守信用 as an adjective to describe “人” (rén, person).
• Example 2:
  • 在商业世界里，守信用是最基本的原则。
  • Pinyin: Zài shāngyè shìjiè lǐ, shǒu xìnyòng shì zuì jīběn de yuánzé.
  • English: In the business world, being credible is the most fundamental principle.
  • Analysis: Here, 守信用 is used as a noun phrase representing the concept or principle of trustworthiness.
• Example 3:
  • 我们公司一向守信用，所以有很多长期合作伙伴。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen gōngsī yīxiàng shǒu xìnyòng, suǒyǐ yǒu hěnduō chángqī hézuò huǒbàn.
  • English: Our company has always honored its commitments, so we have many long-term partners.
  • Analysis: This example demonstrates the cause-and-effect relationship between being trustworthy and achieving success in business.
• Example 4:
  • 你必须守信用，不然以后没人会再相信你了。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ bìxū shǒu xìnyòng, bùrán yǐhòu méi rén huì zài xiāngxìn nǐ le.
  • English: You must keep your word, otherwise no one will trust you again in the future.
  • Analysis: This sentence highlights the negative consequences of not being 守信用.
• Example 5:
  • 他这个人不守信用，上次借的钱现在还没还。
  • Pinyin: Tā zhège rén bù shǒu xìnyòng, shàng cì jiè de qián xiànzài hái méi huán.
  • English: This person is not trustworthy; he still hasn't returned the money he borrowed last time.
  • Analysis: The negative form, 不守信用 (bù shǒu xìnyòng), is a strong criticism of someone's character.
• Example 6:
  • 作为一个朋友，你应该守信用。
  • Pinyin: Zuòwéi yīgè péngyǒu, nǐ yīnggāi shǒu xìnyòng.
  • English: As a friend, you should be dependable.
  • Analysis: This sentence frames 守信用 as a social expectation within a friendship.
• Example 7:
  • 这家供应商非常守信用，货总是按时送到。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā gōngyìng shāng fēicháng shǒu xìnyòng, huò zǒngshì ànshí sòng dào.
  • English: This supplier is very reliable; the goods are always delivered on time.
  • Analysis: A practical business example where reliability in action (delivering on time) is a clear sign of being 守信用.
• Example 8:
  • 诚实和守信用是做人的根本。
  • Pinyin: Chéngshí hé shǒu xìnyòng shì zuòrén de gēnběn.
  • English: Honesty and trustworthiness are the fundamentals of being a good person.
  • Analysis: This shows 守信用 paired with a related concept, 诚实 (chéngshí), to describe a person's core moral foundation.
• Example 9:
  • 我既然答应了，就一定会守信用。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ jìrán dāyìng le, jiù yīdìng huì shǒu xìnyòng.
  • English: Since I've already promised, I will definitely keep my word.
  • Analysis: Here, the speaker uses 守信用 to affirm their commitment and reassure the listener.
• Example 10:
  • 判断一个人是否值得合作，首先要看他守不守信用。
  • Pinyin: Pànduàn yīgè rén shìfǒu zhídé hézuò, shǒuxiān yào kàn tā shǒu bu shǒu xìnyòng.
  • Analysis: This uses the “V-not-V” question structure (守不守信用) to ask “whether or not someone is trustworthy.” This is a very common and natural way to phrase this question.
  • English: To judge whether a person is worth cooperating with, you must first see if they keep their word.

• “Trustworthy” vs. “Honest”: This is a key distinction. 诚实 (chéngshí) means “honest”—not telling lies. 守信用 (shǒu xìn yòng) is about action—doing what you said you would do. Someone can be honest that they won't be able to help you, which means they are 诚实, but if they had previously promised to help, they are not being 守信用.
• Not for Trivial Matters: Using 守信用 for a very small, everyday task can sound overly formal or dramatic. If a friend remembers to bring you a coffee they promised, you would typically just say “谢谢 (xièxie)“. Praising them as 守信用 would be like saying “You have demonstrated profound integrity!” It's reserved for actions that truly reflect on a person's character and reliability.
• More than Financial Credit: While 信用 (xìnyòng) is the word for financial credit (e.g., 信用卡 xìnyòngkǎ, credit card), 守信用 refers to a much broader social and moral credit. It's about your entire reputation for dependability.

• 信用 (xìnyòng) - The core noun: “credit,” “trustworthiness,” “credibility.” 守信用 is the action of protecting this asset.
• 诚信 (chéngxìn) - A more formal, abstract noun for “integrity.” It combines honesty (诚) and trustworthiness (信). It's a core socialist value often seen in government and company slogans.
• 可靠 (kěkào) - Adjective meaning “reliable” or “dependable.” It's a close synonym and more versatile. You can describe a person, a car, or information as 可靠. 守信用 specifically relates to fulfilling promises.
• 失信 (shīxìn) - The direct antonym: “to lose credit” or “to break one's promise.” A person who does this is on the 失信名单 (shīxìn míngdān), or “dishonest persons list” (blacklist).
• 一诺千金 (yī nuò qiān jīn) - An idiom: “one promise is worth a thousand pieces of gold.” It beautifully illustrates the cultural weight placed on a verbal commitment.
• 言而有信 (yán ér yǒu xìn) - An idiom meaning “one's speech is trustworthy.” A perfect synonym for describing someone who is 守信用.
• 诺言 (nuòyán) - Noun for “a promise.” You 遵守诺言 (zūnshǒu nuòyán), “abide by a promise,” which is a very similar concept to 守信用.
• 关系 (guānxi) - The network of social relationships and connections that is the fabric of Chinese society. Strong 关系 cannot be built without all parties being 守信用.