shīxìn: 失信 - To Break a Promise, Lose Credibility, Be Untrustworthy

• Keywords: shixin Chinese meaning, 失信, break a promise in Chinese, lose credibility Chinese, untrustworthy in Chinese, China social credit system, 失信被执行人, Chinese concept of trust, shixin vs shou信, HSK 6 vocabulary
• Summary: The Chinese term 失信 (shīxìn) means to break a promise or lose credibility. More than just a simple mistake, it signifies a serious breach of trust that damages one's reputation and honor. In modern China, the concept has been formalized in the social credit system, where individuals or companies deemed to have 失信 can be placed on a public blacklist, facing real-world consequences. Understanding 失信 is crucial for grasping the cultural importance of trustworthiness in Chinese society.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): shīxìn
• Part of Speech: Verb / Verb-Object
• HSK Level: HSK 6
• Concise Definition: To go back on one's word or fail to meet a commitment, resulting in a loss of trust.
• In a Nutshell: `失信` is a powerful and serious term that describes the act of becoming untrustworthy. It's not about forgetting something minor; it's about a fundamental failure to uphold your word or obligation. This act causes you to lose `信 (xìn)`, or “trust/credit,” which is a highly valued attribute in Chinese culture. Think of it as moving from a state of being trusted to a state of being distrusted due to a specific failure.

• 失 (shī): This character's primary meaning is “to lose,” “to fail,” or “to miss.” Imagine something slipping through your fingers—that is the essence of `失`.
• 信 (xìn): This character is a combination of 人 (rén - person) and 言 (yán - speech). It represents the idea that a person's words should be believable and trustworthy. It means “trust,” “faith,” “credit,” or “letter.”

When combined, 失信 (shīxìn) literally translates to “to lose trust.” The action of failing (`失`) to uphold one's word results in the loss (`失`) of credibility (`信`).

In Chinese culture, maintaining trust and one's word is a cornerstone of personal integrity, known as 诚信 (chéngxìn). This value, deeply rooted in Confucian philosophy, emphasizes that a person's reliability is fundamental to their character and social standing. To `失信` is therefore not just a personal failing but a social one. It causes a loss of 面子 (miànzi), or “face,” and can damage relationships and opportunities. A useful Western comparison is the difference between “breaking a promise” and “getting a bad credit score.”

• Breaking a promise can sometimes be a minor, situational event that is easily forgiven.
• Getting a bad credit score, however, is a formal, recorded judgment of your untrustworthiness that has tangible consequences.

`失信` in Chinese culture feels closer to the latter. It's a serious mark against your character that others will remember. This cultural weight is so significant that it has been institutionalized in China's social credit system.

The term `失信` is used in both formal and serious personal contexts. Its most significant modern application is in the legal and financial spheres. The Social Credit System: The most critical modern usage is the term 失信被执行人 (shīxìn bèi zhíxíng rén), which translates to “discredited person subject to enforcement.” This is an official blacklist for individuals and companies who have failed to comply with court judgments (e.g., repaying debts). Being on this list has severe consequences:

• Banned from purchasing plane or high-speed train tickets.
• Restricted from staying in luxury hotels or buying luxury goods.
• Children may be barred from attending expensive private schools.
• Public shaming, with names and photos sometimes displayed in public areas or before movies in cinemas.

In business and personal life, accusing someone of `失信` is a grave matter. A company that `失信于` (loses the trust of) its customers will suffer immense damage to its brand.

Example 1: 他因为没有按时还款而失信于银行。 Pinyin: Tā yīnwèi méiyǒu ànshí huánkuǎn ér shīxìn yú yínháng. English: He lost credibility with the bank because he didn't repay the loan on time. Analysis: This shows a typical financial context. The structure `失信于 (shīxìn yú) + [Someone]` means “to lose the trust of [Someone].” Example 2: 做生意，最重要的是不能失信。 Pinyin: Zuò shēngyì, zuì zhòngyào de shì bùnéng shīxìn. English: When doing business, the most important thing is not to break your promises. Analysis: This sentence expresses a core business principle in China, highlighting the high value placed on trustworthiness (`信`). Example 3: 那家公司因产品质量问题，已经严重失信于消费者。 Pinyin: Nà jiā gōngsī yīn chǎnpǐn zhìliàng wèntí, yǐjīng yánzhòng shīxìn yú xiāofèizhě. English: That company has severely lost the trust of consumers due to product quality issues. Analysis: Here, `失信` is used to describe a corporation's loss of public trust. The adverb `严重 (yánzhòng)` emphasizes the severity. Example 4: 他被列入了失信被执行人名单，现在连高铁票都买不了。 Pinyin: Tā bèi lièrùle shīxìn bèi zhíxíng rén míngdān, xiànzài lián gāotiě piào dōu mǎi bùliǎo. English: He was put on the list of discredited individuals, and now he can't even buy high-speed train tickets. Analysis: This is a direct, practical example of the consequences of being on the official `失信` blacklist in China. Example 5: 我答应了你的事，就一定不会失信。 Pinyin: Wǒ dāyìngle nǐ de shì, jiù yīdìng bù huì shīxìn. English: Since I promised you, I definitely will not go back on my word. Analysis: This is a personal reassurance. Using `失信` here makes the promise sound very serious and solemn. Example 6: 人无信不立，经常失信的人很难在社会上立足。 Pinyin: Rén wú xìn bù lì, jīngcháng shīxìn de rén hěn nán zài shèhuì shàng lìzú. English: A person cannot establish themselves without credibility; people who frequently break their word will find it hard to get by in society. Analysis: This sentence uses a classical saying `人无信不立 (rén wú xìn bù lì)` to explain the cultural importance of not being a `失信` person. Example 7: 政府必须建立公信力，不能失信于民。 Pinyin: Zhèngfǔ bìxū jiànlì gōngxìnlì, bùnéng shīxìn yú mín. English: The government must establish public credibility and cannot lose the trust of the people. Analysis: This shows `失信` used in a political context. `民 (mín)` means “the people.” Example 8: 不要轻易许诺，以免将来失信于人。 Pinyin: Bùyào qīngyì xǔnuò, yǐmiǎn jiānglái shīxìn yú rén. English: Don't make promises lightly, to avoid losing people's trust in the future. Analysis: This is a piece of advice, cautioning against the act of `失信`. `于人 (yú rén)` means “to people” in general. Example 9: 他只是忘了回你的电话，算不上失信，别太小题大做了。 Pinyin: Tā zhǐshì wàngle huí nǐ de diànhuà, suàn bùshàng shīxìn, bié tài xiǎotídàzuòle. English: He just forgot to call you back, that doesn't count as breaking trust, don't make such a big deal out of it. Analysis: This example is crucial for learners as it shows when *not* to use `失信`. It's reserved for serious breaches, not minor lapses. Example 10: 一旦被贴上“失信”的标签，就很难再得到别人的信任了。 Pinyin: Yīdàn bèi tiē shàng “shīxìn” de biāoqiān, jiù hěn nán zài dédào biérén de xìnrènle. English: Once you are labeled as “untrustworthy,” it's very difficult to gain others' trust again. Analysis: This sentence explains the lasting social damage of being known as someone who has committed `失信`. `贴上…标签 (tiē shàng…biāoqiān)` means “to be labeled as…”.

• Severity is Key: The most common mistake for learners is using `失信` for trivial situations. If a friend is 10 minutes late, they did not `失信`. They were just late. `失信` implies a conscious or negligent breaking of a significant promise or duty. For simply “breaking a promise” in a lighter sense, you might use 食言 (shíyán), which literally means “to eat one's words.”
  • Incorrect: 你迟到了五分钟，你太失信了！(You're five minutes late, you're so untrustworthy!) → This is overly dramatic and incorrect.
  • Correct: 他答应借我钱却没借，他失信了。(He promised to lend me money but didn't, he broke his promise.)
• `失信` vs. “To lie” `说谎 (shuōhuǎng)`: `说谎` is about speaking a falsehood. `失信` is about failing to act on a commitment. You can `失信` without lying (e.g., you intended to pay a debt but became unable to). You can also lie without breaking a specific promise. The two can overlap but are not the same.

• 守信 (shǒuxìn) - To keep one's promise; to be trustworthy. The direct antonym of `失信`.
• 诚信 (chéngxìn) - Integrity, genuineness, trustworthiness. This is the positive cultural value that `失信` violates.
• 信用 (xìnyòng) - Credit, credibility, trustworthiness. This is the “thing” that is lost (`失`) when one engages in `失信`.
• 食言 (shíyán) - “To eat words.” A common, slightly less formal synonym for breaking a promise.
• 背信弃义 (bèixìnqìyì) - A very strong idiom meaning to betray trust and abandon righteousness. It's much more severe than a simple `失信`.
• 言而无信 (yán ér wú xìn) - An idiom describing someone whose words cannot be trusted; untrustworthy.
• 失信被执行人 (shīxìn bèi zhíxíng rén) - The official legal term for a “discredited person subject to enforcement” on China's social credit blacklist.
• 面子 (miànzi) - “Face” or social standing. Committing `失信` causes a major loss of `面子`.