造谣中伤 (zào yáo zhòng shāng) — to spread rumors to slander someone

Definition

An idiom for deliberately spreading false rumors to damage someone's reputation. Stronger than plain 诽谤 — it emphasizes both the act of making up rumors (造谣) and the resulting harm (中伤).

idiom
to spread rumors to slander someone

Examples

  • 造谣中伤。
    Tā yòng gè zhǒng shǒu duàn zào yáo zhòng shāng jìng zhēng duì shǒu.
    He used various means to spread rumors and slander his competitors.
  • 造谣中伤，。
    Zhè piān bào dào wán quán shì zào yáo zhòng shāng, háo wú shì shí yī jù.
    This report is completely slanderous rumors, without any factual basis.
  • 造谣中伤，。
    Miàn duì zhèng dí de zào yáo zhòng shāng, tā xuǎn zé le fǎ lǜ tú jìng wéi quán.
    Faced with political opponents' slanderous rumors, he chose legal means to defend his rights.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

造谣spread rumors
造zàomake谣yáorumor
动宾Verb + object
中伤hit and hurt
中zhōnghit伤shānghurt
补充Verb + complement

造 “make” and 谣 “rumor” join 中 “hit” and 伤 “hurt” to mean spreading rumors that hurt someone.

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
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 →

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 謠; 谣 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
䍃
䍃䍃謠yáo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 謠 puts 言, meaning speech, beside 䍃, which supplies the sound; the simplified 谣 is a later shorthand.

Open 谣 →

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

The original picture showed a flagpole with a drum in the middle, set up in the center of a field.

Open 中 →

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 傷; 伤 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
人人rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
𥏻
𥏻𥏻傷shāng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 傷 shows 人, a person, and uses 𥏻 to give the sound; the simplified 伤 is a later shorthand.

Open 伤 →

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