📖 Meaning
A single promise is as valuable as a thousand pieces of gold. It describes a person who keeps their word faithfully and whose promises can be completely trusted.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from the Western Han dynasty and is associated with Ji Bu (季布), a general famous for his loyalty and trustworthiness. A popular saying of the time stated, 'Getting a hundred catties of gold is not as good as getting one promise from Ji Bu.' The phrase was later recorded in Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian (史记) in the biography of Ji Bu, cementing it as a classical expression of integrity.
💡 Example Usage
他是个一诺千金的人，答应过的事情一定会做到。
He is a man whose word is as good as gold — whatever he promises, he will definitely deliver.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 一诺千金
- Pinyin: yī nuò qiān jīn
- Literal Translation: one, promise, thousand, gold
- Category: Morality
- Characters: 4