kongxuelaifeng: 空穴来风 - Baseless Rumor / A Rumor with a Source

• Keywords: kōng xué lái fēng, 空穴来风, baseless rumor, groundless rumor, Chinese idiom, chengyu, rumor with a source, Chinese proverbs, 空穴来风 meaning, 空穴来风 original meaning, how to use 空穴来风
• Summary: The Chinese idiom 空穴来风 (kōng xué lái fēng) is a fascinating term with a completely reversed meaning in modern usage. Originally meaning “a rumor has a source” (like “where there's smoke, there's fire”), it is now almost exclusively used to mean “a completely baseless or groundless rumor.” This page explores the chengyu's origin, its dramatic change in meaning, and how to use it correctly in modern China without causing confusion.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): kōng xué lái fēng
• Part of Speech: Chengyu (成语) / Idiom
• HSK Level: N/A (Advanced / Chengyu)
• Concise Definition: A rumor that appears to be baseless but may have an underlying cause; (Modern) A completely groundless and unfounded rumor.
• In a Nutshell: Imagine wind blowing from a hole—the hole is the cause, the wind is the effect. This was the original meaning of `空穴来风`: a rumor (the wind) must have a source (the hole). However, over time, people focused on the “empty” (空) character, flipping the meaning to suggest something coming from nothing. Today, 99% of the time you hear this phrase, it means “a baseless rumor,” used to dismiss gossip or speculation.

• 空 (kōng): Empty, hollow, void.
• 穴 (xué): A hole, cave, cavity, or opening.
• 来 (lái): To come, to arrive.
• 风 (fēng): Wind.

Literally, these characters combine to mean “wind comes from an empty hole.” The logic is that if there is wind, there must be a hole or opening for it to pass through. This physical observation serves as a metaphor: if there is a rumor (wind), there must be some sort of reason or source (the hole) for it, no matter how small. The modern meaning ignores this logic and focuses on “空,” interpreting it as a rumor coming from an empty, non-existent source.

• Origin Story: `空穴来风` comes from the “Wind Rhapsody” (《风赋》), a work attributed to Song Yu (宋玉), a poet from the 3rd century BCE. In the text, a king questions the origin of the wind, and Song Yu replies, “臣闻于师：‘枳句来巢，空穴来风。’” which translates to, “I heard from my master: 'Twisted branches invite birds to nest, and empty holes invite the wind.'” The phrase was used to illustrate the principle of cause and effect.
• The Great Semantic Shift: This idiom is one of the most famous examples of semantic drift in modern Chinese. While language purists and dictionaries still champion the original “cause-and-effect” meaning, popular usage has overwhelmingly adopted the opposite meaning of “baseless.” This shift likely occurred because the characters `空` (empty) and `来风` (wind comes) intuitively suggest something appearing from thin air.
• Comparison to Western Concepts: The original meaning of `空穴来风` is a perfect parallel to the English idiom “where there's smoke, there's fire.” Both suggest that rumors and talk, while perhaps exaggerated, usually have a kernel of truth.

The modern meaning is the exact opposite. It's closer to expressions like “a rumor out of thin air” or “completely unfounded.” Understanding this duality is key to mastering the term.

In modern-day China, you should assume `空穴来风` means “baseless rumor” unless the context makes it absolutely clear otherwise.

• Dismissing Gossip: This is the most common use. When someone tells you a piece of gossip, you can use this phrase to dismiss it as completely made-up. It carries a slightly formal and definitive tone.
• Official Denials: Company spokespeople, celebrities, and government officials often use `空穴来风` in official statements to deny rumors circulating in the media or online. For example, “The rumors of our company's bankruptcy are `空穴来风`.”
• The “Not Baseless” Exception: The original meaning is almost exclusively used in its negative form: `并非空穴来风` (bìng fēi kōng xué lái fēng), which means “It is not a baseless rumor” or “This rumor must have a source.” This construction cleverly avoids the ambiguity and is the safest way to use the original meaning.

• Example 1: (Modern Usage - Dismissing Rumors)
  • 关于他们要分手的传闻，我认为是空穴来风。
  • Pinyin: Guānyú tāmen yào fēnshǒu de chuánwén, wǒ rènwéi shì kōng xué lái fēng.
  • English: Regarding the rumors that they are breaking up, I think it's completely baseless.
  • Analysis: This is a typical, everyday use of the modern meaning to dismiss gossip as unfounded.
• Example 2: (Modern Usage - Official Denial)
  • 公司发言人称，所有关于裁员的报道都纯属空穴来风。
  • Pinyin: Gōngsī fāyánrén chēng, suǒyǒu guānyú cáiyuán de bàodào dōu chún shǔ kōng xué lái fēng.
  • English: The company spokesperson stated that all reports about layoffs are purely groundless rumors.
  • Analysis: The phrase `纯属` (chún shǔ), meaning “purely” or “completely,” is often paired with `空穴来风` to add emphasis to the denial.
• Example 3: (Original Meaning - Negative Form)
  • 警方觉得这个匿名举报并非空穴来风，决定立案调查。
  • Pinyin: Jǐngfāng juédé zhège nìmíng jǔbào bìng fēi kōng xué lái fēng, juédìng lì'àn diàochá.
  • English: The police felt this anonymous tip wasn't just a baseless rumor and decided to open a formal investigation.
  • Analysis: This is the classic “safe” way to use the original meaning. By negating it with `并非` (bìng fēi), the speaker clearly communicates that they believe there is a source or truth to the matter.
• Example 4: (Modern Usage - Questioning Information)
  • 你这个消息是哪里听来的？听起来有点空穴来风啊。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ zhège xiāoxī shì nǎlǐ tīng lái de? Tīng qǐlái yǒudiǎn kōng xué lái fēng a.
  • English: Where did you hear this news from? It sounds a bit like a groundless rumor.
  • Analysis: Here, it's used to gently express skepticism about the validity of some information.
• Example 5: (Modern Usage - Social Media)
  • 别信网上那些东西，很多都是空穴来风，为了吸引眼球而已。
  • Pinyin: Bié xìn wǎngshàng nàxiē dōngxī, hěnduō dōu shì kōng xué lái fēng, wèile xīyǐn yǎnqiú éryǐ.
  • English: Don't believe that stuff online; a lot of it is baseless, just meant to grab attention.
  • Analysis: A very common context in the digital age, used to talk about misinformation or clickbait.
• Example 6: (Original Meaning - Literary/Analytical Context)
  • 俗话说“无风不起浪”，很多流言看似空穴来风，实则事出有因。
  • Pinyin: Súhuà shuō “wú fēng bù qǐ làng”, hěnduō liúyán kàn sì kōng xué lái fēng, shí zé shì chū yǒu yīn.
  • English: As the saying goes, “there are no waves without wind”; many rumors seem baseless, but in fact, they have a cause.
  • Analysis: This sentence cleverly plays with the dual meaning. It first uses `空穴来风` in its modern sense (“seems baseless”) and then immediately contrasts it with `事出有因` (“has a cause”), which echoes the original meaning. This is a more advanced, literary usage.
• Example 7: (Modern Usage - Personal Assurance)
  • 请大家放心，我对公司的承诺绝非空穴来风。
  • Pinyin: Qǐng dàjiā fàngxīn, wǒ duì gōngsī de chéngnuò jué fēi kōng xué lái fēng.
  • English: Please rest assured, my commitment to the company is by no means empty talk (baseless).
  • Analysis: Here, the speaker uses the negative form to mean that their promise is solid and has substance, contrasting it with something baseless.
• Example 8: (Modern Usage - Media Literacy)
  • 在信息时代，我们必须学会分辨哪些新闻是事实，哪些是空穴来风。
  • Pinyin: Zài xìnxī shídài, wǒmen bìxū xuéhuì fēnbiàn nǎxiē xīnwén shì shìshí, nǎxiē shì kōng xué lái fēng.
  • English: In the information age, we must learn to distinguish which news is fact and which is groundless rumor.
  • Analysis: A formal sentence you might find in an article or textbook about media literacy.
• Example 9: (Original Meaning - Historical Discussion)
  • 如果你研究这个词的词源，你会发现它最初的意思并不是指谣言毫无根据，反而是指空穴来风，必有其因。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ nǐ yánjiū zhège cí de cíyuán, nǐ huì fāxiàn tā zuìchū de yìsi bìng bùshì zhǐ yáoyán háo wú gēnjù, fǎn'ér shì zhǐ kōng xué lái fēng, bì yǒu qí yīn.
  • English: If you study this term's etymology, you'll find its original meaning wasn't that a rumor is baseless, but rather that “wind comes from a hole” and must have its reason.
  • Analysis: This sentence is meta—it's explaining the term's original meaning, and thus uses it in the original way. This is common in linguistic or academic discussions.
• Example 10: (Modern Usage - Sarcastic)
  • 他说他中了彩票？呵呵，这消息可真是空穴来风。
  • Pinyin: Tā shuō tā zhòngle cǎipiào? Hēhē, zhè xiāoxī kě zhēnshi kōng xué lái fēng.
  • English: He said he won the lottery? Haha, that news is surely coming from nowhere (i.e., is completely made up).
  • Analysis: The “呵呵 (hēhē)” indicates a sarcastic or dismissive laugh, reinforcing the modern meaning that the claim is absurd and baseless.

• The Great Meaning Debate: The single biggest pitfall is being unaware of the dual meaning. A learner who only knows the original dictionary definition will be perpetually confused in modern conversation. Rule of thumb: Assume it means “baseless rumor.”
• Avoid Using the Original Meaning Directly: Do not say `这个谣言是空穴来风` intending to mean “This rumor has a source.” Almost any native speaker today will hear the exact opposite of what you mean. They will think you are dismissing the rumor.
• The Power of Negation: The safest and clearest way to invoke the original “there's a source” meaning is by using the negative form: `并非空穴来风` (bìng fēi kōng xué lái fēng) or `不是空穴来风` (bú shì kōng xué lái fēng). This construction forces the listener to interpret it as “not baseless,” thereby implying there is a reason behind it.

• 无稽之谈 (wú jī zhī tán) - A direct synonym for the modern meaning: “unfounded statements, nonsense.” It's very formal.
• 子虚乌有 (zǐ xū wū yǒu) - Another Chengyu meaning “purely fictitious, fabricated from nothing.” Also a synonym for the modern usage.
• 捕风捉影 (bǔ fēng zhuō yǐng) - “To chase the wind and grasp at shadows.” Describes the act of believing in or spreading baseless rumors.
• 事出有因 (shì chū yǒu yīn) - An antonym to the modern meaning, and a synonym for the original meaning. It means “everything happens for a reason” or “there is a cause for this event.”
• 无风不起浪 (wú fēng bù qǐ làng) - “No wind, no waves.” A proverb with the exact same meaning as the *original* `空穴来风`, equivalent to “where there's smoke, there's fire.”
• 谣言 (yáoyán) - The general, non-idiomatic noun for “rumor.”
• 三人成虎 (sān rén chéng hǔ) - “Three people talking about a tiger creates a tiger.” An idiom explaining how a rumor, if repeated enough, can be mistaken for fact.