phao truyền
Definition
Noun:
- A rumor, a piece of gossip, or a piece of news that is spread, often unofficially or secretly. The term specifically refers to the information itself that is being circulated.
- A piece of false information or a baseless story that is deliberately spread. It often carries the connotation of being unverified, misleading, or fabricated.
Verb (less common):
- The act of spreading or circulating a rumor or piece of news. This usage focuses on the action of transmission.
Usage Examples
Noun:
- Đó chỉ là một phao truyền vô căn cứ. (That is just a baseless rumor.)
- Phao truyền về việc công ty đóng cửa đã khiến nhân viên hoang mang. (The rumor about the company closing down caused anxiety among the employees.)
Verb:
- Ai đó đang phao truyền tin đồn xấu về anh ấy. (Someone is spreading bad rumors about him.)
Advanced Usage
- The word often appears in contexts involving misinformation, social gossip, or strategic leaks of information. It implies a chain of transmission from person to person.
- "Thả phao truyền": to float/plant a rumor. This phrase describes the deliberate act of starting a rumor.
- Đối thủ chính trị thả phao truyền để hạ uy tín của ứng viên. (The political opponent floated a rumor to damage the candidate's reputation.)
Variants and Related Words
- Tin đồn (n): rumor, hearsay. This is a more general and common synonym.
- Lời đồn (n): rumor, word-of-mouth story.
- Loan tin (v): to disseminate/news.
Synonyms
- Rumor: a currently circulating story or report of uncertain or doubtful truth.
- Gossip: casual or unconstrained conversation or reports about other people, typically involving details that are not confirmed as true.
- Hearsay: information received from other people that one cannot adequately substantiate.
Related Idioms
- Phao tin vịt: to spread a false report or a "canard." This is closely related and emphasizes the falseness of the information.
- Tờ báo đó nổi tiếng với việc phao tin vịt. (That newspaper is famous for spreading false reports.)
