xiǎodào xiāoxi: 小道消息 - Rumor, Hearsay, Grapevine

• Keywords: xiaodao xiaoxi, 小道消息, Chinese rumor, Chinese gossip, grapevine in Chinese, hearsay Chinese, unconfirmed news, unofficial information, office gossip
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese term 小道消息 (xiǎodào xiāoxi), which literally means “small path news.” This page breaks down its meaning as rumor, gossip, or information heard “through the grapevine.” Discover its cultural significance, how to use it in everyday conversation about office gossip or unconfirmed reports, and how it differs from more serious terms like “slander.” This is your complete guide to understanding unofficial news in Chinese.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): xiǎo​dào xiāo​xi
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 6
• Concise Definition: Unofficial information, rumor, or hearsay that spreads through informal channels.
• In a Nutshell: Imagine official news travels on a big, main highway (大道, dàdào). It's reliable and verified. In contrast, 小道消息 (xiǎodào xiāoxi) travels on the “small paths” or alleyways (小道, xiǎodào). It's information that hasn't come from an official source. It could be true, it could be false, but it's always unconfirmed. Think of it as the Chinese equivalent of hearing something “through the grapevine.”

• 小 (xiǎo): Small, little, minor.
• 道 (dào): Path, way, road.
• 消 (xiāo): To vanish, eliminate; often part of the word for “news.”
• 息 (xī): Breath, to rest; also a component of the word for “news.”

The word is a combination of two smaller words: 小道 (xiǎodào), meaning “small path” or “side road,” and 消息 (xiāoxi), meaning “news” or “information.” Put together, 小道消息 (xiǎodào xiāoxi) creates a vivid image of “news from the side roads”—information that bypasses official channels and spreads informally from person to person.

• In any culture, people are curious about what's happening behind the scenes. In China, where official information from the government or large corporations can sometimes be slow, formal, or heavily curated, 小道消息 plays a particularly interesting role. It can be a way for people to share information, speculate about changes (like a new company policy or a leader's plans), or simply engage in social bonding through shared “secrets.”
• Comparison to Western Concepts: The best English equivalent is “the grapevine.” When you hear something “through the grapevine,” it implies an informal, person-to-person chain of information. This is very close to the feeling of 小道消息. It's different from “slander” or “libel,” which are malicious and intended to harm someone's reputation. 小道消息 is more about the unverified nature and informal channel of the information, rather than its intent. It's also less personal than “gossip” (like 八卦, bāguà), as it can be about policies or events, not just people's private lives.

• Workplace/Office Culture: This is the most common context for 小道消息. It's the lifeblood of office chatter.
  • “I heard a rumor that we're getting a new boss.”
  • “There's grapevine news that bonuses will be cut this year.”
• Social Media: On platforms like Weibo and WeChat, 小道消息 can spread like wildfire. Users will often preface a juicy but unconfirmed bit of news with “This is just a 小道消息, but…” as a disclaimer.
• General Conversation: It's used to signal that you're sharing something you can't personally vouch for. It's a way of saying, “Don't quote me on this, but…”
• Connotation: The connotation is generally neutral to slightly negative. It highlights the information's unreliability. No one would present a fact in a serious report and call it a 小道消息.

• Example 1:
  • 这只是小道消息，别全信。
  • Pinyin: Zhè zhǐshì xiǎodào xiāoxi, bié quán xìn.
  • English: This is just a rumor, don't completely believe it.
  • Analysis: A classic use case. This sentence warns the listener about the unreliability of the information.
• Example 2:
  • 我听小道消息说，公司下个月要裁员。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ tīng xiǎodào xiāoxi shuō, gōngsī xià ge yuè yào cáiyuán.
  • English: I heard through the grapevine that the company is going to lay off staff next month.
  • Analysis: Here, “听小道消息说” (tīng xiǎodào xiāoxi shuō) acts as a set phrase meaning “to hear a rumor that…”
• Example 3:
  • 关于新政策的小道消息已经传遍了整个办公室。
  • Pinyin: Guānyú xīn zhèngcè de xiǎodào xiāoxi yǐjīng chuánbiànle zhěnggè bàngōngshì.
  • English: The rumors about the new policy have already spread throughout the entire office.
  • Analysis: This example shows 小道消息 being the subject of the sentence and used with the verb 传 (chuán) - to spread.
• Example 4:
  • 你别到处传播这些未经证实的小道消息。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ bié dàochù chuánbō zhèxiē wèi jīng zhèngshí de xiǎodào xiāoxi.
  • English: Don't go around spreading this unverified hearsay.
  • Analysis: This is a light reprimand, pointing out the negative aspect of spreading unconfirmed information. Note the use of 未经证实 (wèi jīng zhèngshí) - “unverified,” which often accompanies this term.
• Example 5:
  • 在官方声明出来之前，一切都只是小道消息。
  • Pinyin: Zài guānfāng shēngmíng chūlái zhīqián, yīqiè dōu zhǐshì xiǎodào xiāoxi.
  • English: Before the official statement comes out, everything is just hearsay.
  • Analysis: This sentence clearly contrasts 小道消息 with its antonym, 官方声明 (guānfāng shēngmíng) - official statement.
• Example 6:
  • 他最喜欢打听各种小道消息了。
  • Pinyin: Tā zuì xǐhuān dǎtīng gèzhǒng xiǎodào xiāoxi le.
  • English: He just loves to inquire about all sorts of rumors.
  • Analysis: 打听 (dǎtīng) means “to ask about / to inquire.” This describes a person who is a bit of a gossip, always seeking out the latest scoop.
• Example 7:
  • 这个小道消息的来源可靠吗？
  • Pinyin: Zhège xiǎodào xiāoxi de láiyuán kěkào ma?
  • English: Is the source of this rumor reliable?
  • Analysis: A very practical question. It shows that people are aware of the nature of a 小道消息 and might try to assess its credibility.
• Example 8:
  • 我是从小道消息得知的，所以可能不准确。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ shì cóng xiǎodào xiāoxi dézhī de, suǒyǐ kěnéng bù zhǔnquè.
  • English: I learned this from the grapevine, so it might not be accurate.
  • Analysis: This is a way for the speaker to protect themselves, admitting their source is informal and the information may be flawed.
• Example 9:
  • 网上充斥着关于那位明星的小道消息。
  • Pinyin: Wǎngshàng chōngchì zhe guānyú nà wèi míngxīng de xiǎodào xiāoxi.
  • English: The internet is flooded with gossip about that celebrity.
  • Analysis: Shows the relevance of the term in the digital age. 充斥 (chōngchì) means “to be full of / flooded with.”
• Example 10:
  • 虽然只是小道消息，但后来被证实是真的。
  • Pinyin: Suīrán zhǐshì xiǎodào xiāoxi, dàn hòulái bèi zhèngshí shì zhēn de.
  • English: Although it was just a rumor, it was later confirmed to be true.
  • Analysis: This highlights an important nuance: a 小道消息 isn't necessarily false, it's just unverified at the time. Sometimes the grapevine is right!

• Don't confuse with 谣言 (yáoyán): This is the most common mistake.
  • 小道消息 (xiǎodào xiāoxi): Hearsay, grapevine news. It's unverified and informal, but not necessarily false or malicious. It can be about something as mundane as a new coffee machine in the breakroom.
  • 谣言 (yáoyán): A malicious or fabricated rumor, disinformation. It has a much stronger negative connotation and implies a falsehood intended to deceive or cause trouble. If you spread a 谣言, you could be in serious trouble. Spreading 小道消息 is just seen as gossiping.
• It's a Noun, Not a Verb: In English, you can “gossip.” In Chinese, you can't “小道消息.” It is a noun. You hear (听, tīng), spread (传, chuán), or inquire about (打听, dǎtīng) a 小道消息.
  • Incorrect: 我今天想小道消息一下。 (Wǒ jīntiān xiǎng xiǎodào xiāoxi yīxià.)
  • Correct: 我想听听有什么小道消息。(Wǒ xiǎng tīngtīng yǒu shénme xiǎodào xiāoxi.) - “I want to hear if there's any gossip.”
• Channel, Not Importance: The term describes the channel of the information (unofficial), not its level of importance. A rumor about a major political change is still a 小道消息 if it's unconfirmed. A minor, but official, announcement (e.g., “The cafeteria is closed for cleaning today”) is not a 小道消息.

• 谣言 (yáoyán) - A vicious or fabricated rumor; disinformation. This is a more negative and serious version of 小道消息.
• 传闻 (chuánwén) - Hearsay; “it is rumored that…” A very close synonym, perhaps slightly more formal or literary.
• 八卦 (bāguà) - Gossip, especially about personal affairs, celebrities, and scandals. More colloquial and often more personal than 小道消息.
• 流言蜚语 (liúyán fēiyǔ) - A four-character idiom (chengyu) for slanderous rumors and malicious gossip. Very formal and strongly negative.
• 官方消息 (guānfāng xiāoxi) - Official news/information. The direct antonym of 小道消息.
• 内幕消息 (nèimù xiāoxi) - Inside information; an “inside scoop.” This is similar but implies the source is a real insider, so the information is likely to be true, unlike 小道消息 which could be pure speculation.
• 听 V 说 (tīng…shuō) - A common grammar pattern, “to hear (someone) say,” used to introduce any kind of hearsay, including 小道消息.