流言

liúyán

noun #8,931

Measure Word

一条流言 tiáo

Meanings

1 rumor; gossip
2 unfounded talk; hearsay

Characters

to flow; to spread; to circulate

speech; words; talk

Flowing + words — words that spread and circulate without a reliable source.

Examples

不要轻易相信流言。

Bùyào qīngyì xiāngxìn liúyán.

Don't easily believe rumors.

关于他的流言满天飞。

Guānyú tā de liúyán mǎntiān fēi.

Rumors about him are flying everywhere.

流言蜚语伤害了很多无辜的人。

Liúyán fēiyǔ shānghài le hěn duō wúgū de rén.

Rumors and slander have hurt many innocent people.

Tips

usage

流言 is always negative — it means unfounded, harmful gossip. The four-character phrase 流言蜚语 (liúyán fēiyǔ) is a common intensified form meaning 'rumors and slander.' Compare with 谣言 (yáoyán), which is very similar but slightly more formal.

Stroke Order

流 liú

言 yán