轶闻 (yì wén) — anecdote; apocryphal story

Definition

Literary, formal term for 'anecdote' — usually a historical or apocryphal story, more written than the everyday 故事. Emphasizes that the tale may be unverified or legendary.

noun
anecdoteapocryphal story
Easily confused

Examples

  • 轶闻，。
    Tā jiǎng le yí gè yǒu qù de yì wén, ràng dà jiā dōu hěn kāi xīn.
    He told an interesting anecdote that made everyone very happy.
  • 轶闻，。
    Zhè běn shū shōu jí le hěn duō lì shǐ yì wén, dàn bù yí dìng dōu shì zhēn de.
    This book collects many historical anecdotes, but they may not all be true.
  • 轶闻，。
    Guān yú nà wèi míng rén de yì wén, zài wǎng luò shàng liú chuán hěn guǎng.
    Anecdotes about that celebrity spread widely on the internet.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

轶yìlost or unofficial
闻wénhearsay

轶 conveys lost or unofficial, while 闻 conveys hearsay, yielding anecdotes.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 軼; 轶 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jū
Sound part声符shēngfú
失
失shī軼
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 軼 is made of 車 and 失, with 失 giving the sound; the simplified 轶 is a later shorthand.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 聞; 闻 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
耳耳ěrear
Sound part声符shēngfú
門
門mén聞wén
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 聞, 門 supplies the sound and 耳 is an ear; this explanation is about 聞, not the simplified 闻.

Open 闻 →

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