口口相传

口口相傳
kǒukǒu-xiāngchuán
idiom

Meanings

  1. 1 passed on by word of mouth
  2. 2 transmitted orally from one person to another
  3. 3 spread through talk

Examples

HSK 4
Zhège mínjiān gùshi kǒukǒu-xiāngchuán, liúchuán le jǐ bǎi nián.
This folk tale has been passed down by word of mouth for several hundred years.
HSK 6
Zhè jiā xiǎodiàn cóngbù zuò guǎnggào, quán kào gùkè kǒukǒu-xiāngchuán.
This little shop never advertises - it relies entirely on word of mouth from customers.

Tips

history
From 《云笈七签》 (Song dynasty Daoist anthology): 圣人秘之,不形文字,口口相传 - the sages kept it secret, not committing it to writing, passing it mouth to mouth. Originally about esoteric transmission; now generic for oral spread.

Stroke Order

kǒu
xiāng
chuán