谣 yáo rumor
rumor; ballad
How to remember 谣: 讠 words + 䍃 jar in hand = rumor. Whispered words fly round the office that the boss was seen jar in hand by the cookie shelf at midnight, and soon everyone repeats the rumor.
Component breakdown
谣 = 讠 words + 䍃 jar in hand
- 讠 words
- 䍃 jar in hand
Whispered words fly round the office that the boss was seen jar in hand by the cookie shelf at midnight, and soon everyone repeats the rumor.
How it is used
- Two senses: 'rumor' - 谣言 (yáoyán) a rumor, 造谣 (zàoyáo) to fabricate rumors, 辟谣 (pìyáo) to refute/debunk a rumor; and 'folk ballad' - 歌谣 (gēyáo) a folk song, 民谣 (mínyáo) folk music/ballad.
- 造谣 vs 辟谣 is the standard 'spread vs refute' pairing in news about misinformation.