坦诚相见
tǎn chéng xiāng jiàn
to be completely open with each other; to put one’s cards on the table
Character by character
坦tǎn
frank
frank
诚chéng
sincere
sincere
相xiāng
each other
each other
见jiàn
meet
meet
Example
两家公司要想长期合作，就得坦诚相见，有问题当面说清楚。
If the two companies want to work together for the long term, they must be frank with each other and talk problems through face to face.
Tone: positive (praise).
Usage and origin
Normally about honest dealings between friends, partners or negotiators: 彼此坦诚相见, 与某人坦诚相见. In bathhouse banter it turns into a pun, since everyone there literally has nothing to hide.
Learn this in Lesson 133 · HSK 7–9: 北方的澡堂子 (The northern bathhouse)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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