真理

zhēnlǐ

noun HSK 5 #5,085

Meanings

True principle — universal truth.

实践是检验真理的唯一标准。

Shíjiàn shì jiǎnyàn zhēnlǐ de wéiyī biāozhǔn.

Practice is the sole criterion for testing truth.

真理往往掌握在少数人手中。

Zhēnlǐ wǎngwǎng zhǎngwò zài shǎoshù rénshǒu zhōng.

Truth is often in the hands of the few.

他一生都在追求真理。

Tā yīshēng dōu zài zhuīqiú zhēnlǐ.

He spent his whole life pursuing truth.

usage

真理 is a weighty, philosophical word. For everyday 'truth' (as in 'the real facts'), use 真相 (zhēnxiàng) or 事实 (shìshí) instead.

真 zhēn

理 lǐ