耳报神

耳報神

ěrbàoshén

phrase

Meanings

1 ear-reporting spirit
2 informant, tipster
3 someone who secretly passes on news

Characters

Examples

HSK 3

这消息传得真快，你是不是有耳报神？

Zhè xiāoxi chuán de zhēn kuài, nǐ shìbushì yǒu ěrbàoshén?

News travels fast with you - do you have a little bird whispering in your ear?

HSK 7-9

办公室的一举一动老板都知道，肯定有人当耳报神。

Bàngōngshì de yìjǔ-yídòng lǎobǎn dōu zhīdào, kěndìng yǒurén dāng ěrbàoshén.

The boss knows everything going on in the office - somebody's definitely tattling.

HSK 7-9

他在同事间安插耳报神，什么事都瞒不过他。

Tā zài tóngshì jiān ānchā ěrbàoshén, shénme shì dōu mán bùguò tā.

He's planted informants among his coworkers - nothing gets past him.

Tips

history

From 《红楼梦》 chapter 71: Xifeng complains about unknown informants - 'who's the ear-reporting spirit that works so fast?' Originally referring to a folk deity who whispered secrets into people's ears, the phrase became a colloquial label for sneaky tipsters.

Stroke Order

耳 ěr

报 bào

神 shén