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dào 道 tīng 听 tú 途 shuō 说

道听途说 dào tīng tú shuō

hearsay; unreliable rumour picked up on the way

Literally: road hear path say

Intermediate 💬 Speech & communication
🃏 Practise intermediate chengyu

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Origin

From the Analects: to hear something on the road and repeat it on the path is to throw away virtue.

How to use it

Attributive or predicate; negative. Often 道听途说的消息.

Example sentences

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  1. 这只是道听途说，你别当真。
    Zhè zhǐshì dào tīng tú shuō, nǐ bié dàngzhēn.
    This is only hearsay; don't take it seriously.
    this only-is road hear path say, you don't take-seriously
  2. 记者不能把道听途说的消息写进新闻。
    Jìzhě bù néng bǎ dào tīng tú shuō de xiāoxi xiě jìn xīnwén.
    Reporters can't put rumours picked up on the street into the news.
    reporter not can (object-marker) road hear path say (particle) news write into news

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