道听途说
道听途说 (dào tīng tú shuō) literally means “road hear path say” and expresses “unreliable information from casual hearsay”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving wisdom and learning.
Also searched as: dao ting tu shuo, dao ting tu shuo,道听途说 meaning, 道听途说 in english
Unreliable information from casual hearsay
Pronunciation: dào tīng tú shuō Literal meaning: Road hear path say
Origin & Usage
Han Dynasty scholars coined this phrase about information heard (听) on roads (道) and spoken (说) on paths (途) to distinguish between verified knowledge and casual transmission. Tang Dynasty historians used it to flag dubious sources. The spatial metaphor of public thoroughfares perfectly captured information spreading without institutional verification. Modern media critics still wage war against such unverified transmission.
Examples
English: "The report was based on unverified rumors rather than documented evidence"
Chinese: 该报告基于未经证实的谣言，而非有据可查的证据
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about wisdom & learning
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 道听途说 mean in English?
道听途说 (dào tīng tú shuō) literally translates to “Road hear path say” and is used to express “Unreliable information from casual hearsay”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Wisdom & Learning category.
When is 道听途说 used?
Situation: The report was based on unverified rumors rather than documented evidence
What is the pinyin for 道听途说?
The pinyin pronunciation for 道听途说 is “dào tīng tú shuō”.