# Using 老实说 (lǎoshi shuō) in Advanced Chinese | HSK 7-9 Discourse Marker | HSKReady Canonical: https://hskready.app/en/grammar/hsk-7-9-discourse-markers-g051 Language: en Content ID: web-grammar-hsk-7-9-g051 HSK levels: 7-9 Updated: 2026-10-23T04:57:33.779Z Scope: published website educational content; full vocabulary, question bank and mock exams remain in the app. Learn how to use the Chinese discourse marker 老实说 (to be honest / frankly speaking) at the HSK 7-9 level, including placement, pragmatic nuance, and contrasts. Grammar [HSK 7-9 · Phrases › Fixed phrases › Discourse markers](https://hskready.app/en/grammar/hsk-7-9#hsk-7-9-g051) # HSK 7-9 Fixed Phrase and Discourse Marker: 老实说 (lǎoshi shuō) The fixed phrase 老实说 (lǎoshi shuō) functions as a stance-marking discourse marker meaning 'to be honest' or 'frankly speaking.' It signals that the speaker is setting aside polite convention to offer a candid opinion, personal admission, or softened critique. 老实说 ， candid opinion or admission Example sentence 老实说，我对这个扩建方案的可行性还是持保留态度。 Lǎoshi shuō, wǒ duì zhège kuòjiàn fāng'àn de kěxíngxìng háishì chí bǎoliú tàidu. To be honest, I still have reservations about the feasibility of this expansion plan. Sentence-initial 老实说 softens a professional disagreement in a meeting context. **Read the full explanation and examples** ## Core Meaning and Pragmatic Function In the HSK 7-9 syllabus, 老实说 is classified under fixed phrases functioning as discourse markers. Literally translating to 'speaking honestly,' 老实说 corresponds closely to English expressions such as 'to be honest,' 'frankly speaking,' or 'truthfully.' Rather than contributing to the grammatical core of a clause, it operates on the pragmatic level: it prepares the listener for a statement that might be slightly uncomfortable, unexpected, or contrary to polite expectations. Using 老实说 does not imply that the speaker was previously lying; instead, it signals a shift toward personal candor, vulnerability, or unvarnished evaluation. ## Sentence Position and Punctuation Because 老实说 is a parenthetical discourse marker, it stands outside the main syntactic structure of the sentence and is typically set off by a comma in writing or a brief pause in speech. It most commonly appears at the very beginning of a statement or immediately after a grammatical topic or conjunction. 老实说 ， candid opinion or admission 老实说，我对这个扩建方案的可行性还是持保留态度。 Lǎoshi shuō, wǒ duì zhège kuòjiàn fāng'àn de kěxíngxìng háishì chí bǎoliú tàidu. To be honest, I still have reservations about the feasibility of this expansion plan. Sentence-initial 老实说 softens a professional disagreement in a meeting context. When a speaker wants to establish the topic or subject first—or link the thought to a preceding clause with a conjunction like 但 (but)—老实说 can be inserted right before the core comment. topic, subject, or conjunction ， 老实说 ， candid opinion or admission 关于跨国并购的法律细节，老实说，我目前了解得并不深入。 Guānyú kuàguó bìnggòu de fǎlǜ xìjié, lǎoshi shuō, wǒ mùqián liǎojiě de bìng bù shēnrù. Regarding the legal details of cross-border mergers and acquisitions, frankly speaking, my current understanding is not very deep. Placed after a topic phrase (关于……), 老实说 introduces a candid admission of one's own limitation. ## Natural Situations and Register 老实说 belongs primarily to spoken, conversational, and semi-formal registers, such as workplace discussions, interviews, commentary, and personal essays. It is generally absent from impersonal legal, scientific, or bureaucratic writing because it inherently foregrounds a subjective 'I' perspective. Advanced speakers rely on it in three main communicative situations: - Softening disagreement or critique: Prefacing a negative assessment with 老实说 frames the criticism as sincere professional or personal honesty rather than hostility. - Admitting personal limitations or awkward truths: It helps a speaker confess a lack of knowledge, preparation, or confidence without losing face. - Revealing counter-intuitive personal feelings: It introduces private reactions that go against conventional social expectations. 老实说，得知海外演出推迟的时候，我心里反而松了一口气。 Lǎoshi shuō, dézhī hǎiwài yǎnchū tuīchí de shíhou, wǒ xīnli fǎn'ér sōngle yì kǒu qì. To be honest, when I learned that the overseas performance was postponed, I actually breathed a sigh of relief inside. Introduces an unexpected private feeling that contrasts with how one might normally be expected to react. 这份行业报告的数据很详实，但老实说，结论部分缺乏足够的说服力。 Zhè fèn hángyè bàogào de shùjù hěn xiángshí, dàn lǎoshi shuō, jiélùn bùfen quēfá zúgòu de shuōfúlì. The data in this industry report is very detailed, but to be honest, the conclusion section lacks sufficient persuasiveness. Used after the conjunction 但 (but) to cushion a critical evaluation following a compliment. Use 老实说 when there is a reason to present the statement as candid. It may introduce an opinion or feeling, but also a factual admission. A widely known fact can sound unnecessary without a relevant context; that is a pragmatic issue, not a grammatical ban on factual statements. ## Useful Contrasts with Related Expressions At the advanced level, distinguishing 老实说 from other truth- or reality-related expressions helps you choose the exact nuance required by the context. - 老实说 vs. 其实 (qíshí, actually / in fact): 老实说 highlights the speaker's sincere attitude in sharing a subjective opinion or admission. 其实 focuses on correcting a misconception or contrasting appearance with objective reality, and it does not necessarily involve personal candor. - 老实说 and 说实话 overlap strongly as introductions to candid statements. Both have three written characters, and neither is universally more compact or more suitable for semi-formal discussion. Choose the phrasing and tone that fit the exchange. - 老实说 vs. 坦白说 / 坦率地说 (tǎnbái shuō / tǎnshuài de shuō, speaking candidly / bluntly): 坦白说 often carries a heavier tone of confessing something hidden or sensitive, while 坦率地说 sounds more formal and diplomatic. 老实说 sits comfortably in the middle for everyday frankness. 大家都以为他性格孤僻，其实他只是不太擅长在陌生人面前表达。 Dàjiā dōu yǐwéi tā xìnggé gūpì, qíshí tā zhǐshì bú tài shàncháng zài mòshēngrén miànqián biǎodá. Everyone thinks he has an aloof personality, when in fact he is just not very good at expressing himself in front of strangers. Contrast example: 其实 corrects a widespread misconception rather than marking a frank personal confession like 老实说. 其实 in the example highlights a contrast between a common impression and the speaker’s account of the person. Replacing it with 老实说 would emphasize candor, but would not force the content to become a confession about the speaker’s own feelings. Both markers express how the speaker presents a claim, not proof that the account is objectively true. ## Frequently asked questions **Can you say 老实地说话 or 老实地说 instead of 老实说?** Yes, 老实地说 can also preface a candid statement, as in 老实地说，我并不赞成. 老实说 is the concise form practised here. 老实地说话 can instead describe speaking honestly as an activity; distinguish that literal verb phrase from a parenthetical comment on the whole statement. **Does using 老实说 sound rude when speaking to superiors?** It is not inherently rude, and it often serves to soften a delicate opinion by framing it as sincere. However, because it introduces directness, when speaking to superiors in formal settings it is best paired with measured, polite phrasing in the main clause (such as expressing 'reservations' rather than flat rejection) or preceded by a positive acknowledgment. **Source**[hsk.cn-bj.ufileos.com · PDF page 404](https://hsk.cn-bj.ufileos.com/3.0/%E6%96%B0%E7%89%88HSK%E8%80%83%E8%AF%95%E5%A4%A7%E7%BA%B21219.pdf#page=404) ## Continue in the app Full mock exams are available in HSKReady. [![Download on the App Store](https://hskready.app/download-on-app-store-black.svg)Download on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id6791916440?l=en)[![Get it on Google Play](https://hskready.app/get-it-on-google-play.svg)Get it on Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.curiolab.hskready&hl=en) [HSKReady App](https://hskready.app/en/app)