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捕风捉影 (bǔ fēng zhuō yǐng) — to make groundless accusations; to base claims on hearsay without evidence

Definition

A chengyu meaning to accuse or claim something with no real evidence — chasing wind and grabbing at shadows. Used to criticize baseless allegations or gossip.

idiom
to make groundless accusationsto base claims on hearsay without evidence

Examples

  • 捕风捉影，。
    Zhè xiē zhǐ kòng wán quán shì bǔ fēng zhuō yǐng, méi yǒu rèn hé zhèng jù.
    These accusations are completely groundless — there is no evidence at all.
  • 捕风捉影，。
    Jì zhě bù néng bǔ fēng zhuō yǐng dì bào dào xīn wén, bì xū hé shí shì shí.
    A journalist cannot report news based on hearsay; they must verify the facts.
  • 捕风捉影，。
    Tā bǔ fēng zhuō yǐng dì zhǐ zé bié rén, jié guǒ bèi zhèng míng shì cuò de.
    He made groundless accusations against others, and was later proven wrong.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

捕风catch wind
捕bǔcatch风fēngwind
动宾Verb + object
捉影catch shadow
捉zhuōcatch影yǐngshadow
动宾Verb + object

捕 is catch, 风 is wind, 捉 is catch, 影 is shadow; catching wind and shadow means claims without evidence.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
甫
甫fǔ捕bǔ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

捕 uses 扌 (a hand, from 手) to show catching, and 甫 for the sound.

Open 捕 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 风 →

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shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
足
足zú捉zhuō
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

捉 pairs 扌, the hand form of 手, with 足, which gives the character its sound.

Open 捉 →

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
彡彡shān
Sound part声符shēngfú
景
景jǐng影yǐng
Same sound today

影 pairs 景, which gives the sound and also carries the idea of image, with 彡, the part that points to shadow.

Open 影 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set Phrases

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