一诺千金
- Literal
- one promise, a thousand pieces of gold
- Figurative
- A promise worth its weight in gold; said of someone whose word is utterly reliable and who always keeps a commitment.
Where does 一诺千金 come from?
Ji Bu was a man of Chu who served as a general under Xiang Yu, renowned for always honoring his word: people said a single promise from him was worth more than a hundred jin of gold. After Liu Bang defeated Xiang Yu and founded the Han dynasty, he put a price on Ji Bu's head, yet many sheltered and protected him because of his reputation, and in the end he was pardoned and served as a Han official. From his renown came the saying that "getting a hundred jin of gold is not as good as a promise from Ji Bu," later condensed into this idiom. The story is recorded by Sima Qian in the Records of the Grand Historian.
Source (出处): 《史记·季布栾布列传》
How is 一诺千金 used? Two examples
- 他答应的事一定会做到,真是一诺千金。
Whatever he promises, he always carries out; his word really is worth its weight in gold.
- 做生意要讲信用,答应了就得一诺千金。
In business you have to be trustworthy; once you've promised something, your word must be as good as gold.