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耸人听闻 (sǒng rén tīng wén) — (set phrase) sensational (of news/stories); to create a sensation by exaggerating the facts

Definition

An idiom meaning 'sensational' — used to criticize news or stories that exaggerate to shock the reader. Implies the content is intentionally overstated, not just dramatic.

idiom
(set phrase) sensational (of news/stories)to create a sensation by exaggerating the facts

Examples

  • 耸人听闻，。
    Zhè piān bào dào nèi róng shí fēn sǒng rén tīng wén, dàn qí shí hěn duō xì jié dōu bù zhēn shí.
    This report's content is very sensational, but in fact many details are not true.
  • 耸人听闻，。
    Bú yào qīng xìn nà xiē sǒng rén tīng wén de biāo tí, hěn duō zhǐ shì xī yǐn diǎn jī.
    Don't believe those sensational headlines; many are just clickbait.
  • ，耸人听闻。
    Yǒu xiē méi tǐ wèi le xiāo liàng, jīng cháng fā bù sǒng rén tīng wén de xiāo xi.
    Some media outlets often publish sensational news to boost sales.

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 聳; 耸 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
耳耳ěr
Sound part声符shēngfú
從
從cóng聳sǒng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 聳 pairs 耳 (ear) with 從 (cóng) to give the sound; the simplified 耸 is a later shorthand.

Open 耸 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 人 shows a side view of a standing person, with an arm and a leg.

Open 人 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 聽; 听 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 聽 has 耳 (ear) and 口 (mouth), used for listening; the simplified 听 is a later shortened form unrelated to that picture.

Open 听 →

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 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set Phrases

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