Definition
正经八百 is an emphatic, colloquial four-character idiom meaning 'in all seriousness, really, or truly.' Unlike the literal reading of the characters, it is used to stress that someone is sincere, genuine, or acting with real intent — often contrasting with joking or casual behavior. You'll hear it in situations where you want to affirm that something is not a joke: '正经八百的，我没骗你'.
idiom
in all seriousnessgenuinelytruly
Examples
- ，正经八百。Tā kàn qǐlái xīpíxiàoliǎn de, kě yí dào gōngzuò jiù zhèng jīng bā bǎi de le.He looks all smiles, but when it comes to work he's dead serious.
- 正经八百，。Wǒ shì zhèng jīng bā bǎi de qǐngjiào nín zhège wèntí, bú shì kāi wánxiào.I am sincerely asking you this question — I'm not joking.
- ，正经八百。Bié xiào, rénjia zhèng jīng bā bǎi de zài gēn nǐ dàoqiàn ne.Don't laugh — they are genuinely apologizing to you.
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