可空穴来风必有因
“but there's no smoke without fire.”
THE DIALOGUE REEL
“Rumors may die in the minds of the wise,”
可 空穴来风 必有因
“but there's no smoke without fire.”
若是这些话传出去
“If word like that gets out,”
“Where there is smoke, there is fire; the public will believe this whether it is true or not.”
In traditional Chinese society, a family's or lady's social standing was fragile; even unfounded gossip could permanently ruin reputation and prospects.
LEARNING CHUNKS & PARTICLES
where there is smoke, there is fire; rumors do not start without reason
A classic four-character idiom used to explain that rumors usually have some factual origin or plausible pretext.
must have a reason / cause
Used in formal or philosophical statements to assert causality.
VOCABULARY & EXPRESSIONS
Parallel Spoken Cinema Scenes (语义近邻切片)
“There must be plenty of loopholes.”
“Most of it is groundless rumor.”
“Do they not love pinning baseless talk”
“or leaks a word of it,”
“Winds come and go into the void.”
“Stop being so mysterious.”