hung1 jyut6 loi4 fung1空穴來風空穴来风
Definition
Of rumors, having a source or foundation; alternatively, having no foundation at all.
- having a foundation or cause for rumors to start
- completely baseless or unfounded rumors
How it's used
Originally, this idiom meant that a breeze only enters a hole if there is a draft, implying that rumors often have a factual basis. However, modern usage has shifted significantly to mean the exact opposite, referring to rumors that are completely fabricated and lack any foundation. It is now common to hear people use it to dismiss gossip as total nonsense.
Examples
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Many people mistakenly use this to mean that a rumor is true because it must have started somewhere, which contradicts the common modern usage of it being a baseless fabrication. Be aware that your listener might interpret it in either the original or the modern sense depending on their generation and education.
Grammar color guide
Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
