mou4 fung1 bat1 hei2 long6無風不起浪无风不起浪

Jyutpingmou4 fung1 bat1 hei2 long6

Yalemòuh fūng bāt héi lohng

語句

Definition

There is no smoke without fire; everything happens for a reason.

colloquialcommunication

How it's used

This idiom is used to suggest that rumors or gossip rarely emerge from nothing. It carries a slightly skeptical tone, implying that while a story might be exaggerated, the underlying situation likely exists. It is often used to justify why someone chooses to believe a piece of hearsay.

Examples

keoi5佢dei6哋cyun4傳gan2緊fan1分sau2手，zan1真hai6係mou4無fung1風bat1不hei2起long6浪。

They are rumored to be breaking up; there is no smoke without fire.

dim2點gaai2解wui2會cyun4傳ceot1出le1呢daan1單san1新man4聞？mou4無fung1風bat1不hei2起long6浪aa1呀。

Why did this news come out? There must be some truth to it.

Common phrases

cyun4傳man4聞mou4無fung1風bat1不hei2起long6浪

rumors are rarely groundless

Common mistake

Do not use this to describe literal weather conditions or actual waves at the beach. It is strictly a metaphorical expression for social situations and rumors.