誠まこと

ま

こ

と

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

1

noun

truth; reality; fact

Refers to objective truth or actual state of affairs. Often used in formal or emphatic contexts.

彼かれの言こと葉ばにはまことがなかった。
There was no truth in his words.
まことのことを言いってください。
Please tell me the truth.

2

noun

sincerity; honesty; faithfulness

Emphasizes inner genuineness, heartfelt honesty, and loyalty. Common in expressions like 誠を尽くす.

彼かれは誠まことをもって人ひとに接せっする。
He treats people with sincerity.
誠まことの心こころがあれば、きっと伝つたわる。
If you have a sincere heart, it will surely get through.

3

adverb

indeed; really; truly

dated term

Dated adverbial use expressing emphasis or affirmation. Now mostly replaced by 本当に or 実に in modern speech, but still seen in formal or literary contexts.

まことにお久ひさしぶりでございます。
It has indeed been a long time.
まことにありがとうございます。
Thank you very much indeed.

Written forms

誠まことUsage34%
Standard kanji spelling for sincerity, truth, and faithfulness.
まことUsage60%
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially for the adverbial sense.
真まことUsage3%
Alternate kanji spelling; less common than 誠 but still used, especially in literary or traditional contexts.
マコトUsage2%
実まことUsage<1%
Rare kanji spelling for まこと; more commonly read as じつ or み.

Kanji

誠sincerity, admonish, warn
真true, reality, Buddhist sect
実reality, truth, seed

Similar words

本ほん当とう
本当 is the common word for truth/reality in everyday speech; まこと is more formal, literary, or emphatic.
真しん実じつ
真実 is a more objective, factual truth; まこと often carries a nuance of heartfelt sincerity or moral truth.
実じつに
実に is the modern equivalent of the adverbial まことに, meaning 'indeed' or 'really', without the dated feel.

Etymology

The word まこと is a native Japanese term. The kanji 誠, 真, and 実 are all used to represent its meaning, but the word itself predates the introduction of kanji. The exact derivation is uncertain, but it may be related to 真 (ま, 'true') + 事 (こと, 'thing').