honesty
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honesty
The quality of being sincere, truthful, and fair, and of not lying, cheating, or stealing.
Ehrlichkeit ist eine wichtige Grundlage für jede vertrauensvolle Beziehung.
Honesty is an important foundation for any trusting relationship.
'Ehrlichkeit' (honesty) is the quality described by the adjective 'ehrlich' (honest). Both words are related to the noun 'die Ehre' (honor), which emphasizes the strong moral meaning.
Er ist ein ehrlicher Mensch, dem man vertrauen kann.
He is an honest person whom you can trust.
The ending '-keit' is a typical ending for nouns formed from adjectives. It describes the state or quality of being as the adjective expresses it (e.g., Sauberkeit, Freundlichkeit).
Freundlichkeit kostet nichts, bewirkt aber viel.
Friendliness costs nothing but has a big effect.
When 'Ehrlichkeit' (honesty) is meant as a general, abstract concept, it is usually used without an article. This emphasizes its character as a virtue or principle.
Für mich zählt Ehrlichkeit mehr als alles andere.
For me, honesty counts more than anything else.
A well-known proverb is: 'Ehrlichkeit währt am längsten.' (Honesty lasts the longest.) It means that being honest pays off in the long run.
Auch wenn es schwerfiel, sagte sie die Wahrheit, denn Ehrlichkeit währt am längsten.
Even though it was hard, she told the truth, because honesty is the best policy.
cunning / trick
'die List' and 'die Ehrlichkeit' describe two very different ways of reaching a goal or dealing with others. 'List' is about a clever approach, often also involving deception. 'Ehrlichkeit' is about being open, truthful, and fair. So the contrast is: 'List' can hide something or use tricks, while 'Ehrlichkeit' shows the truth directly.
Ihre Ehrlichkeit hat mich beeindruckt, weil sie den Fehler sofort zugegeben hat.
Her honesty impressed me because she admitted the mistake right away.
Mit einer List brachte Sofia den Verkäufer dazu, ihr den letzten Rabatt zu geben.
With a trick, Sofia got the seller to give her the final discount.