📖 Meaning
To hear something on the road and spread it along the road; it refers to passing along unverified rumors or hearsay without any factual basis. The idiom criticizes spreading information one has not personally confirmed.
📜 Origin Story
This phrase originates from the 'Analects of Confucius' (论语·阳货), where Confucius says, 'To hear on the road and speak of it on the road is to cast virtue away.' Confucius condemned those who repeat hearsay without verifying its truth, regarding such conduct as a rejection of moral integrity. In the Han dynasty, the 'Book of Han' (汉书·艺文志) further noted that tales of novelists arose from the street talk and roadside gossip of such people. Over time it became a standard term for rumor-mongering and irresponsible chatter.
💡 Example Usage
这些消息不过是道听涂说，不可轻信。
These reports are nothing but roadside hearsay and should not be readily believed.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 道听涂说
- Pinyin: dào tīng tú shuō
- Literal Translation: road, hear, road, speak
- Category: Communication
- Characters: 4