How to say "Earnest" in Japanese

When translating "earnest" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 切実 and 愚直. In Japanese, 切実 (せつじつ (setsujitsu)) is typically associated with "earnest, serious, pressing, acute (e.g., problem)" (Syllabus Level: N2) and represents 心から深く感じられること、または問題などが差し迫っていることを表します。「切実な願い」のように形容動詞として、「切実に願う」のように副詞としても使われます。. On the other hand, 愚直 (ぐちょく (guchoku)) maps to "earnest, honest and simple-minded, guileless, naive but sincere" (Syllabus Level: N1) and represents Describes someone who is honest and sincere, sometimes to the point of being naive or inflexible, but often seen as a positive trait in work ethics.. A literal translation of "earnest" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!