諺語 · a single proverb
明人不說暗話
Simplified: 明人不说暗话
What does 明人不說暗話 (míng rén bù shuō àn huà) mean?
明人不說暗話 (míng rén bù shuō àn huà) is a colloquial saying (súyǔ 俗語). Word for word it reads "an honest person does not speak in dark words." In use it means: A straightforward person says what they mean directly, without hidden meanings or coded language. Clarity is a form of respect. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Metal note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Rooster.
Literally: "an honest person does not speak in dark words."
The reading
The dark word goes around the block to say what the clear word says across the table. Both arrive at the same place. One arrives clean. The other arrives carrying suspicion, ambiguity, and the energy wasted on decoding. Say what you mean. The person across the table deserves the direct route.
What kind of proverb it is
Source folk proverb 民間諺語; common in classical novels and drama
Sits beside
Keep reading
Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Friendship, Trust & Speech, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rooster, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 明人不說暗話 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 明人不說暗話 (míng rén bù shuō àn huà) is a colloquial saying (súyǔ 俗語), and it comes from folk proverb 民間諺語; common in classical novels and drama. It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 明人不說暗話?
In Mandarin it is míng rén bù shuō àn huà. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 明人不說暗話 aloud in Mandarin.