街谈巷议

街談巷議
jiētánxiàngyì
idiom

Meanings

  1. 1 talk in the streets and discussion in the alleys
  2. 2 popular gossip; what everyone is talking about

Examples

Zhè jiàn chǒuwén yī chū, lìkè chéng le jiētánxiàngyì de huàtí.
The moment the scandal broke, it became the talk of every street and alley.
Míngxīng de sīshēnghuó zǒngshì jiētánxiàngyì de jiāodiǎn.
Celebrities' private lives are always the focus of public gossip.

Tips

history
From Han-dynasty poet Zhang Heng's () 《西》: 街谈巷议弹射 — 'Street talk and alley gossip critique what is good and bad.' Originally referred to popular political opinion.
usage
Refers to widespread informal discussion among ordinary people — neither praise nor condemnation by itself, though context often makes it sound like idle gossip.

Stroke Order

jiē
tán
xiàng