Social Rules Interesting

话经三张嘴，长虫也长腿

huà jīng sān zhāng zuǐ, cháng chóng yě zhǎng tuǐ

After passing through three mouths, a snake grows legs.

Literal translation

Words pass through three mouths, a long worm also grows legs.

What it means

This warns about how rumors get distorted as they are passed...

This warns about how rumors get distorted as they are passed from person to person. The original truth becomes exaggerated and unrecognizable.

Cultural context

This is a folk saying that highlights the Chinese distrust of gossip and hearsay. It's similar to the game of 'telephone' and warns against believing secondhand information.

When Chinese people say this

Someone might say this when a harmless comment turns into a damaging rumor about them, or when they hear an unbelievable story that has clearly been embellished.

Why Chinese people say this

It's a warning to be skeptical of gossip and to verify facts. It also serves as a reminder to be careful about what you say, since it can be twisted.

#gossip #caution #human-nature

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