口口相传

口口相傳

kǒukǒu-xiāngchuán

idiom

Meanings

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

Characters

Examples

HSK 5

这家小店从不做广告，全靠顾客口口相传。

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.

HSK 6

这个民间故事口口相传，流传了几百年。

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.

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

口 kǒu

相 xiāng

传 chuán