Being true in word and resolute in deed

This idiom originates in The Analects of Confucius. It advocates keeping one's promise and being resolute in one's actions. The Confucian school held that a ruler must keep his word and win the trust of the people, and only in this way can he win the support of the people and have the people tell the truth.

When we use this phrase today, we often emphasize integrity and the importance of honoring our promise and seeing it through.

At the Seventh Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection in January 2017, Xi Jinping said: Our Chinese ancestors have many sayings that encourage good faith and benevolent conduct, citing this one as an example. He pointed out that these helpful thoughts and ideas should be carried on under the current conditions, to preserve Chinese values and character in conduct and work.

言必信，行必果

“言必信，行必果”，出自《論語》，意為說話一定要有誠信，做事一定要有成效。儒家認為，統治者要言而有信、取信于民，只有這樣才能得到百姓擁戴，也只有這樣百姓才能敢于說出真話。后世在運用這一術語時，多強調一個人應該講求誠信、做事有始有終，不僅要兌現承諾而且要言行一致。

2017年1月，習近平在中國共產黨第十八屆中央紀律檢查委員會第七次全體會議上的講話中強調，我們的先人們有大量勸導人們向上向善的警句名言，如“言必信，行必果”等，這些有益的思想觀點，要結合時代條件加以繼承和發揚，以堅守中國人的價值觀，保持做人干事的精神風骨。