名副其实

Pronunciation: míng fù qí shí Literal meaning: Name matches reality

Origin & Usage

This idiom originates from the Han Dynasty text 'Hou Han Shu' (后汉书), where it described officials whose abilities matched their titles. The phrase combines 'name' (名) with 'matching' (副) its 'reality' (实). In ancient China, there was great emphasis on the correspondence between titles and actual merit, as misaligned names and realities were seen as a source of social disorder. Confucius himself emphasized 'rectification of names' (正名). Modern usage applies to anything that lives up to its reputation, from products to people to places.

Examples

English: "The restaurant truly lives up to its reputation as the best in town."

Chinese: 这家餐厅名副其实，确实是城里最好的。