Basic Info
- Chinese Idiom: 道听途说 (Dào tīng tú shuō)
- Pinyin: dào tīng tú shuō
- Literal meaning: “Heard on the road, spoken on the road.”
(道 = road / way; 听 = to hear; 途 = road / path; 说 = to speak / spread)
Figurative Definition
It refers to hearsay, gossip, or unverified rumors – information picked up casually from others and passed on without checking whether it is true. It criticizes the habit of spreading unconfirmed stories and treating gossip as fact.
In modern usage, it describes:
- Passing along rumors without verifying them.
- Repeating something just because “someone said it.”
- Treating casual street talk as reliable information.
Cultural & Historical Origin
This idiom has two classical sources:
1. The Analects (《论语·阳货》)
Confucius said:
道听而涂(途)说，德之弃也。
To hear something on the road and immediately speak of it on the road – this is what virtue discards.
Confucius was criticizing people who casually pick up rumors and spread them without reflection or verification. Such behavior, he said, is contrary to moral character.
2. The Book of Han (《汉书·艺文志》)
The text says:
小说家者流，盖出于稗官，街谈巷语，道听途说者之所造也。
The novelists are a minor school, perhaps originating from minor officials. They are created from street talk and alley gossip – what is heard on the road and spoken on the road.
Here, the phrase describes the origins of popular stories and unofficial tales – not necessarily malicious, but lacking authority and verification.
Key Lesson
Do not repeat what you have not verified. Gossip travels fast, but truth travels slowly. A wise person listens carefully, checks facts, and refuses to spread unconfirmed information. In the age of social media, this ancient warning is more relevant than ever.
Cultural Note
In modern Chinese, “道听途说” is used to criticize rumor-mongering, irresponsible sharing, and fake news. It often appears in phrases like:
“这些不过是道听途说，不可轻信。”
(“These are just hearsay – do not believe them lightly.”)
It is closely related to “捕风捉影” (bǔ fēng zhuō yǐng – “catching the wind and clutching at shadows,” meaning making accusations based on flimsy evidence) and “以讹传讹” (yǐ é chuán é – “to spread errors and make them worse”).
Similar English Expressions
- Hearsay – Information heard from others; not directly verified.
- Rumor / gossip – Unverified talk spread among people.
- Through the grapevine – Information passed informally from person to person.
- Word on the street – What people are saying casually.
- To hear something through the grapevine – To learn something via informal gossip.
- A game of telephone – Information distorted as it is passed along.
- Don’t believe everything you hear – A warning against hearsay.
The closest and most direct equivalent is “hearsay” or “rumor.”
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