Chinese word

相传

Pronunciation

Pinyinxiāng chuán

Meaning

  • adverbreportedly

Example

相传这座桥有几百年历史。xiāng chuán zhè zuò qiáo yǒu jí bǎi nián lì shǐ

This bridge is reportedly several hundred years old.

Illustration for 相传 (reportedly)

More examples

相传山里有一口神泉，可以治病。xiāng chuán shān lǐ yǒu yì kǒu shén quán ké yǐ zhì bìng

According to legend, there is a sacred spring in the mountains that can cure illness.

Core concept

A claim travels through a community as hearsay rather than as a confirmed record.

Common phrases

  • 民间相传mín jiān xiāng chuán

    according to folk tradition

  • 自古相传zì gǔ xiāng chuán

    passed down since ancient times

  • 相传至今xiāng chuán zhì jīn

    handed down to this day

Similar words

据说jù shuō: Presents something widely said by others without claiming that it is verified.
听说tīng shuō: Presents something learned by hearing it from other people in everyday speech.
传说chuán shuō: Introduces a traditional folk story or legend passed down among the people.
传闻chuán wén: Presents news or a claim circulating unofficially without confirmed proof.

Definition in Chinese

用于引出民间流传或口耳相传的消息，表示某事是人们相互传述而来，语气多为传闻性。yòng yú yǐn chū mín jiān liú chuán huò kóu ěr xiāng chuán de xiāo xī biǎo shì mǒu shì shì rén men xiāng hù chuán shù ér lái yǔ qì duō wèi chuán wén xìng

Word origin

相传 (xiāngchuán, "mutually pass on") describes people passing information among one another, which leads naturally to its use for stories preserved by oral tradition.

Usage tips

  • The word marks a source that is collective and distant, so it does not by itself show that the speaker has witnessed the event or checked the facts.

Other meanings

  • according to legendadverb
  • handed downadverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word