道听途说

道聽途說

dàotīng-túshuō

idiom #19,451

Meanings

1 hearsay
2 rumor
3 gossip

Characters

to hear; to listen

to say; to speak

Examples

这些都是道听途说，不能当真。

Zhèxiē dōu shì dàotīngtúshuō, bùnéng dàngzhēn.

These are all hearsay and shouldn't be taken seriously.

不要轻信道听途说的消息。

Bùyào qīngxìn dàotīngtúshuō de xiāoxi.

Don't easily believe rumored news.

Tips

history

From the Analerta of Confucius (《论语·阳货》): 子曰：'道听而途说，德之弃也。' — The Master said: 'To hear on the road and repeat on the path — this is the abandonment of virtue.' Confucius condemned spreading unverified information.

Stroke Order

道 dào

听 tīng

途 tú

说 shuō