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坦白 (tǎn bái) — Chinese word meaning

HSK 7

坦白 (tǎn bái) is a Chinese word: frank, honest. This page shows its pinyin, translation, example sentences, character breakdown, decomposition, and HSK level.

Meaning of 坦白

形 xíng adjective

frank, honest

他很坦白地承认了错误。

tā hěn tǎn bái de chéng rèn le cuò wù

He frankly admitted his mistake.

动 dòng verb

to confess

他向警察坦白了一切。

tā xiàng jǐng chá tǎn bái le yí qiè

He confessed everything to the police.

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Word breakdown

坦 tǎn — open, candid, frank

Words with this character (6)
  • 1 坦克 tǎn kè — tank HSK 7
    • 坦 First syllable in the phonetic transliteration of 'tank'
    • 克 Second syllable in the phonetic transliteration of 'tank'
    Example

    他们看到坦克开过街道。

    tā men kàn dào tǎn kè kāi guò jiē dào

    They saw tanks driving through the streets.

  • 2 坦然 tǎn rán — calm and composed HSK 7
    • 坦 open, frank, straightforward
    • 然 state or manner (suffix indicating natural quality)
    Example

    她坦然地承认了自己的错误。

    tā tǎn rán de chéng rèn le zì jǐ de cuò wù

    She calmly admitted her mistake.

  • 3 坦率 tǎn shuài — frank HSK 7
    • 坦 open, without concealment
    • 率 direct, straightforward
    Example

    她坦率地说出了自己的想法。

    tā tǎn shuài de shuō chū le zì jǐ de xiǎng fǎ

    She frankly expressed her thoughts.

  • 4 坦言 tǎn yán — to speak frankly HSK 7
    • 坦 frank, candid, open
    • 言 to speak, words
    Example

    他坦言自己犯了错误。

    tā tǎn yán zì jǐ fàn le cuò wù

    He frankly admitted that he made a mistake.

  • 5 坦诚 tǎn chéng — frank and sincere HSK 7
    • 坦 frank, open, candid
    • 诚 sincere, honest, genuine
    Example

    他总是很坦诚地表达自己的想法。

    tā zǒng shì hěn tǎn chéng de biǎo dá zì jǐ de xiǎng fǎ

    He always expresses his thoughts frankly and sincerely.

Show more (+1)
  • 6 平坦 píng tǎn — flat HSK 7
    • 平 level, flat, even
    • 坦 smooth, open, flat
    Example

    这条路很平坦，很好走。

    zhè tiáo lù hěn píng tǎn hěn hǎo zǒu

    This road is very flat, easy to walk on.

白 bái — clear, plain, to reveal

Words with this character (15)
  • 1 白天 bái tiān — daytime HSK 1
    • 白 bright, light (referring to daylight)
    • 天 day (time period)
    Example

    我白天工作，晚上学习。

    wǒ bái tiān gōng zuò wǎn shang xué xí

    I work during the daytime and study at night.

  • 2 白色 bái sè — white HSK 2
    • 白 white (the color concept)
    • 色 color (specifies it refers to the color)
    Example

    她今天穿了一件白色的衣服。

    tā jīn tiān chuān le yī jiàn bái sè de yī fu

    She wore a white piece of clothing today.

  • 3 明白 míng bai — to understand HSK 3
    • 明 clear, bright (contributes clarity)
    • 白 plain, clear (reinforces clarity)
    Example

    你明白我的意思吗？

    nǐ míng bai wǒ de yì si ma

    Do you understand what I mean?

  • 4 白酒 bái jiǔ — baijiu (Chinese white liquor) HSK 4
    • 白 white/clear (referring to the transparent appearance)
    • 酒 alcohol/liquor (the beverage category)
    Example

    这瓶白酒是我爸爸送的礼物。

    zhè píng bái jiǔ shì wǒ bà ba sòng de lǐ wù

    This bottle of baijiu is a gift from my father.

  • 5 白白 bái bái — in vain HSK 6
    • 白 empty, without result
    • 白 reduplication for emphasis of wastefulness
    Example

    不要白白浪费时间。

    bù yào bái bái làng fèi shí jiān

    Don't waste time in vain.

Show more (+10)
  • 6 白领 bái lǐng — white-collar worker HSK 6
    • 白 white (referring to white dress shirts)
    • 领 collar (of a shirt)
    Example

    他是一个白领，每天在办公室工作。

    tā shì yí gè bái lǐng měi tiān zài bàn gōng shì gōng zuò

    He is a white-collar worker, working in an office every day.

  • 7 蛋白质 dàn bái zhì — protein HSK 6
    • 蛋 egg
    • 白 white (referring to egg white)
    • 质 substance, matter
    Example

    鸡蛋含有丰富的蛋白质。

    jī dàn hán yǒu fēng fù de dàn bái zhì

    Eggs contain abundant protein.

  • 8 对白 duì bái — dialogue HSK 7
    • 对 reciprocal, facing (indicates back-and-forth exchange)
    • 白 speech, spoken words (the lines being spoken)
    Example

    这部电影的对白写得很精彩。

    zhè bù diàn yǐng de duì bái xiě de hěn jīng cǎi

    The dialogue in this film is written brilliantly.

  • 9 开场白 kāi chǎng bái — opening remarks HSK 7
    • 开 to open, to begin
    • 场 occasion, venue, scene
    • 白 speech, words, remarks
    Example

    主持人的开场白很幽默。

    zhǔ chí rén de kāi chǎng bái hěn yōu mò

    The host's opening remarks were very humorous.

  • 10 惨白 cǎn bái — deathly pale HSK 7
    • 惨 intensifies the paleness to a tragic, extreme, or disturbing degree
    • 白 provides the base meaning of white or pale color
    Example

    她听到噩耗后脸色变得惨白。

    tā tīng dào è hào hòu liǎn sè biàn de cǎn bái

    Her face turned deathly pale after hearing the bad news.

  • 11 洁白 jié bái — pure white HSK 7
    • 洁 clean, pure, spotless
    • 白 white
    Example

    她穿着一件洁白的连衣裙。

    tā chuān zhe yī jiàn jié bái de lián yī qún

    She wore a pure white dress.

  • 12 空白 kòng bái — blank HSK 7
    Example

    这份表格有很多空白需要填写。

    zhè fèn biǎo gé yǒu hěn duō kòng bái xū yào tián xiě

    This form has many blanks that need to be filled in.

  • 13 苍白 cāng bái — pale HSK 7
    • 苍 ashen, gray (suggesting unhealthy color)
    • 白 white, pale (lightness of color)
    Example

    她的脸色苍白，看起来很虚弱。

    tā de liǎn sè cāng bái kàn qǐ lái hěn xū ruò

    Her complexion is pale, she looks very weak.

  • 14 表白 biǎo bái — to confess one's feelings HSK 7
    • 表 to express, to show outwardly
    • 白 clear, openly, plainly
    Example

    他终于鼓起勇气向她表白了。

    tā zhōng yú gǔ qǐ yǒng qì xiàng tā biǎo bái le

    He finally mustered the courage to confess his feelings to her.

  • 15 颠倒黑白 diān dǎo hēi bái — to confuse right and wrong; to distort facts HSK 7
    • 颠 overturn, topple
    • 倒 reverse, invert
    • 黑 black (representing wrong/evil)
    • 白 white (representing right/good)
    Example

    媒体不应该颠倒黑白误导公众。

    méi tǐ bù yīng gāi diān dǎo hēi bái wù dǎo gōng zhòng

    The media should not distort facts and mislead the public.

Structure & writing
1 坦 tǎn — flat and wide

坦 is not used as a component in any other character.

consists of

1.1 土 tǔ — soil; earth (mixture of sand, clay, etc. on the ground)
土 is a component in 76 characters
HSK 1
再 zài twice; a second time 去 qù to go (away from the speaker, opposite of 来) 在 zài to exist; to live 坐 zuò to sit (resting buttocks on a chair or other surface) 块 kuài lump; chunk; clump
Show more HSK 1 characters (+1)
里 lǐ inner lining (of clothing, bedding, etc.); reverse side of a fabric
HSK 2
周 zhōu periphery; circle 地 dì the Earth, one of the eight planets in the solar system 场 chǎng a place or large area suited for certain needs 坏 huài evil; vicious; destructive 走 zǒu to walk; (of birds or animals) to move the feet forward alternately
HSK 3
城 chéng city wall 境 jìng border; boundary; frontier
HSK 4
压 yā to press down on an object (often from above) 圾 jī used in 垃圾: ① refuse, trash, waste matter; ② fig. harmful elements in society 址 zhǐ location of a building; foundation 垃 lā used in 垃圾 (lājī): ① garbage, refuse ② (attributive) worthless or harmful 基 jī foundation; base of a building
Show more HSK 4 characters (+9)
堂 táng main hall; large imposing room 堵 dǔ to block; to obstruct 塑 sù to model; to sculpt 填 tián to fill up or level a hollow place 增 zēng to increase (opposite of 减) 幸 xìng happy; fortunate 盐 yán salt (chemistry): compound composed of metal ions (including ammonium) and acid radicals 社 shè earth deity, and the place, day, and rites for worshipping it in ancient times 肚 dù belly; abdomen
HSK 5
均 jūn even; equal 型 xíng mold; model 域 yù territory; domain within defined boundaries 培 péi to heap soil around the base of a plant or embankment 堆 duī a pile; a heap of accumulated things
Show more HSK 5 characters (+1)
墙 qiáng wall (built of brick, stone, etc. to support a roof or divide spaces)
HSK 6
吐 tǔ to spit out (something from the mouth) 坛 tán raised platform used for ceremonies such as sacrifices or military oaths, typically built of earth and stone 坡 pō slope; incline 埋 mái to cover with sand, soil, or other material 塔 tǎ pagoda (Buddhist tower, originally housing sacred relics, polygonal or square with tapering tiers)
Show more HSK 6 characters (+4)
壁 bì wall 壤 rǎng loose, soft soil 尘 chén dust, flying dirt 庄 zhuāng village; rural settlement
HSK 7
啬 sè miserly, stingy with money or possessions 圣 shèng supremely exalted and wise 坊 fāng lane or alley (used in urban street names) 坎 kǎn one of the Eight Trigrams, symbol '☵', representing water 坑 kēng pit; hollow depression
Show more HSK 7 characters (+29)
坝 bà dam or embankment built to block or protect against a river 坟 fén grave mound; burial mound 坠 zhuì to fall; to drop down 坦 tǎn flat and wide 坪 píng flat open ground 坷 kě (lit.) used in '坎坷': ① (of roads) bumpy and uneven (opposite of '平坦'); ② figuratively, hardship and frustration; going poorly; unfulfilled 垄 lǒng ridge of soil in a ploughed field for planting crops 垒 lěi defensive wall or fortification in ancient military camps 垦 kěn to reclaim wasteland, to open up land for cultivation 垫 diàn to prop up, pad, or line something to raise, thicken, level, or insulate it 垮 kuǎ to collapse, to cave in 堕 duò to fall, to drop down 堡 bǎo fort; fortress 堤 dī embankment; dike built along a river, lake, or sea 堪 kān can; be able to; be worthy of 塌 tā to collapse, cave in 塘 táng embankment; dike 墅 shù villa; garden-style residence for leisure (usually in suburbs or scenic areas) 墓 mù grave; tomb 墟 xū ruins; a deserted place formerly inhabited by many people 墨 mò ink stick (made from soot or pine smoke); also the liquid ink made by grinding it with water 寺 sì ancient government office 捏 niē to pinch (with thumb and fingers) 杜 dù birchleaf pear tree (a deciduous tree with small, astringent fruit, used as main rootstock for grafting pears) 灶 zào stove or cooking range made of brick, earth, stone, or metal 牡 mǔ male (of birds and animals, opposite of 牝) 疆 jiāng border, boundary 睦 mù harmonious; amicable 赤 chì red; a shade slightly lighter than vermilion
1.2 旦 dàn — dawn; early morning
旦 is a component in 11 characters
HSK 1
得 dé to get; to obtain (opposite of 失) 是 shì correct; right (opposite of 非)
HSK 2
但 dàn only, merely
HSK 3
担 dān to carry on a shoulder pole 查 chá to inspect carefully; to examine
HSK 4
量 liàng ancient measuring vessel (e.g. dǒu, shēng)
HSK 5
胆 dǎn gallbladder, the sac-like organ that stores bile
HSK 6
碍 ài to hinder, obstruct
HSK 7
坦 tǎn flat and wide 昼 zhòu daytime; the period from dawn to dusk (opposite of '夜') 暨 jì and; as well as (connecting nouns or noun phrases)

Stroke order

2 白 bái — white (color like snow or milk, opposite of black)
白 is a component in 19 characters
HSK 1
百 bǎi hundred (the number 100) 的 de structural particle used after an attributive: ① general modifier before a noun ② possessive modifier ③ attributive is a person's name or pronoun, head noun is a role or identity ④ head noun combines with a preceding verb to express an action, attributive is the object of that action
HSK 3
怕 pà to fear; to be afraid of 拍 pāi to slap or pat with the palm or a flat object 泉 quán spring water
HSK 4
貌 mào appearance, looks
HSK 6
皇 huáng monarch; emperor 迫 pò to compel; to force
HSK 7
伯 bó uncle (father's elder brother) 卑 bēi low; lowly 帕 pà small square cloth for wiping hands or face; handkerchief 柏 bǎi cypress tree, an evergreen with scale-like leaves and cone fruits; hard wood used as building material 泊 bó to moor a boat; to dock
Show more HSK 7 characters (+6)
皂 zào black (color) 皆 jiē all; everyone 碧 bì (lit.) blue-green jade 粕 pò dregs left over from brewing wine 舶 bó large oceangoing vessel 魄 pò the corporeal soul (in superstition, the spirit attached to the body)

白 is an atomic character — it does not decompose further.

Stroke order