空穴来风 (kòng xué lái fēng) — (set phrase) a rumor that may have some basis (original meaning); (set phrase, modern colloquial) an unfounded rumor; groundless talk
Definition
Literally 'wind from an empty cave' — originally a rumor that has some basis. In modern usage it usually means the opposite: a baseless rumor. So 这并非空穴来风 = 'this is not without foundation', but 别信，那是空穴来风 = 'don't believe it, it's groundless'.
idiom
(set phrase) a rumor that may have some basis (original meaning)(set phrase, modern colloquial) an unfounded rumorgroundless talk
Examples
- 空穴来风，。Zhè jiàn shì bìng fēi kòng xué lái fēng, zǎo yǒu fēng shēng chuán chū lái le.This matter is not an unfounded rumor—word has been out for a while.
- ，空穴来风。Dà jiā bié xiāng xìn nà ge xiāo xi, nà shì kòng xué lái fēng bà liǎo.Don't believe that news—it's just a baseless rumor.
- 空穴来风，。Tā zhǐ zé méi tǐ zhì zào kòng xué lái fēng, què ná bù chū zhèng jù.He accused the media of fabricating baseless rumors, but couldn't provide evidence.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.