其实 from HSK Level 3 Vocabulary List

The Chinese word 其实 (qíshí) is composed of two characters: 其 (qí) and 实 (shí). The character 其 is a pronoun that means "that" or "it," while the character 实 is a noun that means "reality" or "truth." Together, the two characters form a compound word that means "in fact" or "actually."The word 其实 is often used to emphasize a point or to contrast two different things. For example, you could say 其实我很喜欢吃辣 (qíshí wǒ hěn xǐhuan chī là), which means "Actually, I really like spicy food." In this sentence, the word 其实 is used to emphasize the speaker's love of spicy food.The word 其实 can also be used to introduce a new topic or to change the subject of a conversation. For example, you could say 其实我想和你谈谈 (qíshí wǒ xiǎng hé nǐ tán tan), which means "Actually, I want to talk to you about something." In this sentence, the word 其实 is used to introduce a new topic of conversation.The word 其实 is a versatile word that can be used in a variety of different contexts. It is an important word to know for HSK learners, as it is used frequently in both spoken and written Chinese.