heoi3 ngai6 cyun4 zan1去偽存真去伪存真

Jyutpingheoi3 ngai6 cyun4 zan1

Yaleheui ngaih chyùhn jān

Definition

To weed out the false and retain the true; to distinguish between fake and genuine.

writtencommunicationother

How it's used

This is a formal idiom often used in contexts involving critical thinking, historical analysis, or evaluating the authenticity of information. While it sounds sophisticated, it is frequently employed in professional or academic discussions to describe the process of separating facts from misinformation. It carries a sense of intellectual rigor and discernment.

Examples

ngo5我dei6哋jiu3要hok6學sik1識heoi3去ngai6偽cyun4存zan1真，m4唔hou2好bei2俾jan4人aak3呃。

We need to learn to distinguish the real from the fake so we don't get cheated.

ni1呢di1啲zi1資seon3訊gam3咁do1多，dim2點joeng2樣heoi3去ngai6偽cyun4存zan1真aa4呀？

There is so much information, how can one filter out the truth from the lies?

Common phrases

hok6學sik1識heoi3去ngai6偽cyun4存zan1真

learn to distinguish the real from the fake

heoi3去ngai6偽cyun4存zan1真ge3嘅nang4能lik6力

the ability to separate truth from falsehood

Common mistake

Learners often mistake this for a simple verb phrase, but it is a four-character idiom that functions best in formal or semi-formal writing and speech. Using it in very casual, everyday conversation about mundane objects can sound overly dramatic or pretentious.