谣言传多了，三人成虎。
Spread a rumor enough and people will believe a tiger walked the market.
Daily Chengyu
三人成虎
Repeated rumor can be believed as truth.
Literal Meaning: Three people make a tiger.
三three
人people
成become
虎tiger
Today's Situation
A false rumor about a company spreads until investors believe it.
Perfect Chengyu: 三人成虎
Actual Meaning
Warns that if enough people repeat a lie, others may believe it — especially relevant for gossip and social media.
Emotional toneCautionary
Usage feelNeutral in tone
FormalityNeutral
English Equivalent
- Repeat a lie often enough...
- Rumor becomes reality.
- The power of repetition.
English equivalents capture the general idea, but they may not fit every context exactly.
Modern Usage Example
On social media, 三人成虎 happens fast — verify before you share.
Chinese Example Sentences
不要轻信，三人成虎。
Don't believe easily — repetition creates false certainty.
Origin Story
A minister asked whether people would believe a tiger was in the market if three people said so. The king understood how repeated lies gain credibility.
When Natives Use It
Good fit
- Media literacy
- Workplace gossip
- Online rumors
Avoid
Timely for social media age. Formal essays and commentary.
- Common in speech
- Common in writing
- Sounds natural today
- Possible but uncommon in casual chat
- More common in writing or commentary
- Use with care — can sound critical
Similar and Opposite Chengyu
Daily Quiz
Which best matches 三人成虎?
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