News heard on the road and spread to others on the way. Refers to unfounded rumours or unreliable news.
Idiom Pronunciation:
道听途说
dào tīng tú shuō
Origin book:
《论语·阳货》：“道听而途说，德之弃也。”
Origin Story:
During the Spring and Autumn period, there were two neighbours in the state of Qi, named Ai Zi and Mao Kong. Ai Zi was very learned and had many students. Despite this, Mao Kong looked down on Ai Zi and always thought he was better than Ai Zi. He wanted to show Ai Zi that he was better than him, but he never had the chance to do so. One day, Mao Kong heard a message on the road and was very happy, thinking that this was his chance. He quickly went to Ai Zi’s house and said to him, “Have you ever heard of a duck that lays 200 eggs at once?”
“I have not heard of it, but I don’t believe it at all. Can you tell me just how big that duck was?” “What does the size of a duck have to do with the number of eggs it lays? A horse that big won’t lay a single egg as usual.” Maukong said smugly. “As for the two hundred duck eggs you mentioned, I really don’t know where they came from.” “Is there any need to ask? Of course they came from the duck’s belly.” Mao Kong said with some impatience. “How can a duck’s belly hold two hundred eggs?” “Then it must have been laid by two ducks, you believe it now.” Mao Kong said breathlessly. Ai Zi smiled and said, “I still don’t believe it.”
Mao Kong was so exasperated that he had no choice but to say again, “That day, a piece of meat fell from the sky, and that piece of meat was thirty feet long and ten feet wide.” Ai Zi smiled and asked, “Really? Is there a piece of meat that long?” Mao Kong hurriedly said, “Oh, that is twenty feet long.” Ai Zi still didn’t believe it. He changed his tone again, “It must be ten fathoms long.” Ai Zi said, “Whose house did you keep the duck you are talking about? Where did you say that piece of meat fell?” Mao Khong stammered and could not say, and finally had to say, “I heard it from someone on the road.” Then Ai Zi said to his pupils, “Don’t be like Mao Khong who heard it from others on the road.”
Similar Idioms:
- 捕风捉影
