Definition
小道消息 literally means 'news from a small path' — it refers to unofficial information or rumors passed through informal channels, like gossip or hearsay. Unlike a formal news report (消息), the term implies unverified or unofficial sources. You can use it as a noun, often after verbs like 传 (spread), 听 (hear), 相信 (believe).
n.
rumorhearsaygossipinformation from informal sources
Examples
- 小道消息，。Bié xiāngxìn nàxiē xiǎo dào xiāo xī, dōu shì jiǎ de.Don't believe those rumors; they're all false.
- 小道消息，。Gōngsī zuìjìn yǒu bù shǎo xiǎo dào xiāo xī, dàn méi rén zhīdào zhēn jiǎ.There has been a lot of gossip at the company lately, but nobody knows what's true.
- 小道消息？Zhèxiē xiǎo dào xiāo xī shì cóng nǎlǐ chuán chūlái de?Where did these rumors come from?
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