三人成虎
三人成虎 (sān rén chéng hǔ) literally means “three people make tiger real” and expresses “repeated lie becomes truth”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving wisdom and learning. It originates from ancient Chinese literature and remains commonly used in modern Mandarin.
Also searched as: san ren cheng hu, san ren cheng hu,三人成虎 meaning, 三人成虎 in english
Repeated lie becomes truth
Pronunciation: sān rén chéng hǔ
Literal meaning: Three people make tiger real
Origin & Usage
This idiom originates from the Wei state minister Pang Cong's warning to his king about how three (三) people's (人) repeated lies can make even an absurd claim - like a tiger (虎) loose in the marketplace - seem true (成). The story, recorded in Warring States texts, demonstrates how repeated rumors can be accepted as fact. The psychological insight into how falsehoods gain credibility through repetition remains remarkably relevant today, particularly in discussions about social media misinformation and public opinion formation.
Examples
English: "The untrue rumor about a product defect spread on social media until customers started believing it without evidence"
Chinese: 关于产品缺陷的不实传言在社交媒体上传播，直到顾客开始在没有证据的情况下相信它
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Be very familiar with; handle with expertise
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Perfectly appropriate; fitting exactly
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恰到好处
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Just right; perfectly appropriate
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Stop at the right point; practice moderation
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 三人成虎 mean in English?
三人成虎 (sān rén chéng hǔ) literally translates to “Three people make tiger real” and is used to express “Repeated lie becomes truth”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Wisdom & Learning category.
When is 三人成虎 used?
Situation: This idiom applies when describing situations involving repeated lie becomes truth.
What is the pinyin for 三人成虎?
The pinyin pronunciation for 三人成虎 is “sān rén chéng hǔ”.