凭空捏造 (píng kōng niē zào) — to fabricate (a story, accusation, etc.) with no factual basis; to make something out of nothing

Definition

A formal idiom meaning to fabricate something (a story, accusation, or claim) out of nothing, with no factual basis. Stronger and more accusatory than simply 'making something up' — implies willful invention of falsehoods.

idiom
to fabricate (a story, accusation, etc.) with no factual basisto make something out of nothing

Examples

  • 凭空捏造，。
    Zhè xiē zhǐ kòng wán quán shì píng kōng niē zào, méi yǒu rèn hé zhèng jù zhī chí.
    These accusations are completely fabricated, with no evidence to support them.
  • 凭空捏造，。
    Jì zhě bù néng píng kōng niē zào xīn wén, bì xū jī yú shì shí bào dào.
    Journalists cannot fabricate news; they must report based on facts.
  • 凭空捏造。
    Tā píng kōng niē zào le yí gè gù shi lái bó qǔ tóng qíng.
    He fabricated a story to gain sympathy.

Origin

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 憑; 凭 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
馮
馮féng憑píng
Same sound today

In the traditional form 憑, 心 relates to the heart or mind, and 馮 gives the sound. The simplified 凭 is a later abbreviation, so its visible parts are not the historical parts.

Open 凭 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
穴穴xuécave, hole
Sound part声符shēngfú
工
工gōng空kōng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

空 is built from 穴, a cave or hole, and 工, which gives the sound.

Open 空 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
涅
涅niè捏niē
Same sound today

In 捏, the left part 扌 is a hand, showing that the meaning involves using the fingers, while the right part 涅 gives the sound niè.

Open 捏 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辵辵chuòto walk
口口kǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
屮
屮chè造zào
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

Its origin is unclear, but early forms of 造 include 辵 (to walk) and 口, with 屮 as a sound part, and mean go or arrive.

Open 造 →

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