实事求是

Pinyin:shí shì qiú shì

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📖 Meaning

Seek truth from facts.

📜 Origin

《汉书》

💡 Detailed Explanation

"Seeking truth from facts" is an idiom with strong Chinese characteristics, originating from the Book of Han: The Biography of Liu De, Prince Xian of Hejian. The original text reads, "He cultivated learning and loved antiquity, seeking truth from facts," meaning that Liu De was fond of ancient culture and sought to obtain true knowledge. Its core meaning is to act according to the actual circumstances of things, neither exaggerating nor understating, and to pursue truth and reality. This idiom emphasizes proceeding from objective reality, exploring the internal connections of things and the laws of their development, and understanding the essence of things. In daily use, it can be used both to praise someone for being practical and respectful of facts, and to criticize behavior that is detached from reality and based on subjective assumptions. It embodies the Chinese nation's cultural spirit of being pragmatic and seeking truth, with an emphasis on empirical evidence. It carries a commendatory tone and is often used together with expressions such as "keeping one's feet on the ground" and "seeking truth and being pragmatic." In modern society, seeking truth from facts is all the more an important method of thinking and working for us to understand and transform the world, and it is widely applied in fields such as scientific research, decision-making and management, and personal cultivation.

📝 Example

1. When formulating policies, we must seek truth from facts, fully consider the actual conditions of different regions, and avoid a one-size-fits-all approach. (Referring to proceeding from reality and respecting objective facts.) 2. His fact-based approach to scientific research has earned him the respect of his peers. (Referring to the pursuit of truth and the rejection of falsification.)