wújīzhītán: 无稽之谈 - Nonsense, Baseless Rumor, Unfounded Talk

• Keywords: wujiztitan, 无稽之谈, Chinese idiom for nonsense, unfounded talk, baseless rumor, Chinese chengyu, how to say nonsense in Chinese, 无稽之谈 meaning, 无稽之谈 examples, groundless accusation.
• Summary: Learn the meaning and use of 无稽之谈 (wú jī zhī tán), a powerful Chinese idiom (chengyu) for describing something as 'complete nonsense' or a 'baseless rumor'. This guide provides a deep dive into its characters, cultural context, and practical examples, helping you master this formal term to dismiss unfounded talk like an educated native speaker.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): wú jī zhī tán
• Part of Speech: Noun Phrase / Idiom (成语, chéngyǔ)
• HSK Level: Advanced (equivalent to HSK 6+)
• Concise Definition: A statement, story, or rumor that is completely unfounded and has no basis in fact.
• In a Nutshell: Think of 无稽之谈 (wú jī zhī tán) as the formal, powerful way to say “that's a load of nonsense” or “that's a groundless rumor.” It's not just casual disbelief; it carries the weight of a firm, intellectual dismissal, implying the statement is so absurd it's not even worth investigating. It’s a very strong way to shut down misinformation or silly ideas, especially in more formal settings.

• 无 (wú): without; no; not having. A fundamental character for negation.
• 稽 (jī): to check; to examine; to investigate; a basis or foundation. Here, it means a source or basis that can be verified.
• 之 (zhī): a classical grammatical particle that connects words, similar to the modern 的 (de) or the English “'s” or “of”. It links the preceding attribute to the succeeding noun.
• 谈 (tán): talk; conversation; statement.

Putting them together, 无稽之谈 (wú jī zhī tán) literally translates to “talk (谈) of (之) no (无) basis/verifiability (稽)”. It paints a vivid picture of a statement that completely lacks a foundation upon which any investigation could even begin.

As a chengyu (成语), 无稽之谈 originates from classical Chinese literature, which gives it a formal, educated, and authoritative tone. Using it demonstrates a higher level of language proficiency and is common in written texts, news reports, official statements, and debates. It reflects a cultural value placed on evidence and substance, particularly in formal discourse. To label an argument or rumor as 无稽之谈 is not just to disagree with it, but to attack its very foundation and dismiss it as intellectually worthless. Comparison to a Western Concept: While you might translate it as “nonsense” or “conspiracy theory,” there's a key difference.

• “Nonsense” in English can be playful or refer to something simply illogical. 无稽之谈 is never playful; it's a serious and strong condemnation.
• “Conspiracy Theory” is a specific type of baseless claim. 无稽之谈 is a broader judgment that can be applied to any unfounded statement, from a political accusation to a silly superstition or a flimsy excuse. It functions less as a label for a category of belief and more as a direct verdict on a specific statement.

This term is versatile but carries a formal weight.

• In Formal Settings: It's frequently used by officials, spokespeople, and media outlets to debunk rumors or discredit accusations. For example, a company spokesperson might say, “Reports of our bankruptcy are 无稽之谈.”
• In Educated Conversation: Among friends, an educated person might use it to strongly refute a piece of gossip or a pseudoscientific claim. It's a bit of an overkill for very casual chats, where a simpler term like 瞎说 (xiāshuō) might be used.
• On Social Media: It often appears in comment sections or posts where users are debating a topic seriously, especially when trying to debunk misinformation with a tone of authority.

Its connotation is always negative and dismissive. You use it to shut a conversation down, not to open one up.

• Example 1:
  • 关于公司要倒闭的传言纯属无稽之谈。
  • Pinyin: Guānyú gōngsī yào dǎobì de chuányán chún shǔ wú jī zhī tán.
  • English: The rumors about the company going bankrupt are pure nonsense.
  • Analysis: This is a classic, formal use case. “纯属” (chún shǔ), meaning “purely is,” strengthens the dismissal.
• Example 2:
  • 他说外星人控制着政府，这简直是无稽之谈！
  • Pinyin: Tā shuō wàixīngrén kòngzhìzhe zhèngfǔ, zhè jiǎnzhí shì wú jī zhī tán!
  • English: He said aliens control the government, that's simply nonsense!
  • Analysis: Here, it's used to express strong personal disbelief towards an absurd claim. “简直是” (jiǎnzhí shì) means “is simply” or “is practically,” emphasizing the absurdity.
• Example 3:
  • 那些指控完全是无稽之谈，没有任何证据。
  • Pinyin: Nàxiē zhǐkòng wánquán shì wú jī zhī tán, méiyǒu rènhé zhèngjù.
  • English: Those accusations are complete nonsense, without any evidence.
  • Analysis: This sentence highlights the core meaning of the idiom—the lack of evidence (证据, zhèngjù).
• Example 4:
  • A: 我听说吃西瓜籽会在肚子里长出西瓜树。
  • B: 无稽之谈！那是骗小孩的。
  • Pinyin: A: Wǒ tīngshuō chī xīguā zǐ huì zài dùzi lǐ zhǎng chū xīguā shù. B: Wú jī zhī tán! Nà shì piàn xiǎohái de.
  • English: A: I heard that if you eat watermelon seeds, a watermelon tree will grow in your stomach. B: Nonsense! That's just something you tell kids.
  • Analysis: Can be used as a standalone exclamation to immediately and forcefully reject an idea.
• Example 5:
  • 认为数字“4”会带来厄运的想法在许多人看来是无稽之谈。
  • Pinyin: Rènwéi shùzì “sì” huì dàilái èyùn de xiǎngfǎ zài xǔduō rén kànlái shì wú jī zhī tán.
  • English: The idea that the number “4” brings bad luck is considered nonsense by many people.
  • Analysis: Used here to describe a superstition or folk belief as being groundless from a rational perspective.
• Example 6:
  • 他迟到的理由听起来完全是无稽之谈。
  • Pinyin: Tā chídào de lǐyóu tīngqǐlái wánquán shì wú jī zhī tán.
  • English: His reason for being late sounded like a complete cock-and-bull story.
  • Analysis: A perfect translation for dismissing a flimsy, unbelievable excuse (理由, lǐyóu).
• Example 7:
  • 你的论点没有任何数据支持，简直就是无稽之谈。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ de lùndiǎn méiyǒu rènhé shùjù zhīchí, jiǎnzhí jiùshì wú jī zhī tán.
  • English: Your argument has no data to support it; it's practically baseless talk.
  • Analysis: A powerful phrase in a debate or academic setting to attack the foundation of an opponent's argument (论点, lùndiǎn).
• Example 8:
  • 这本书记载了许多历史上的无稽之谈，需要读者加以辨别。
  • Pinyin: Zhè běn shū jìzǎile xǔduō lìshǐ shàng de wú jī zhī tán, xūyào dúzhě jiāyǐ biànbié.
  • English: This book records many historical myths and baseless tales, requiring readers to be discerning.
  • Analysis: Here, it's used to refer to historical myths or unverified anecdotes as a category of information.
• Example 9:
  • 不要相信网上的那些无稽之谈，要学会独立思考。
  • Pinyin: Búyào xiāngxìn wǎngshàng de nàxiē wú jī zhī tán, yào xuéhuì dúlì sīkǎo.
  • English: Don't believe that nonsense on the internet; you need to learn to think for yourself.
  • Analysis: A very common modern usage, advising someone to be critical of online misinformation.
• Example 10:
  • 关于他们分手的八卦不过是无稽之谈，我昨天还看见他们在一起。
  • Pinyin: Guānyú tāmen fēnshǒu de bāguà búguò shì wú jī zhī tán, wǒ zuótiān hái kànjiàn tāmen zài yīqǐ.
  • English: The gossip about them breaking up is just a baseless rumor; I saw them together yesterday.
  • Analysis: Shows how to use the idiom to authoritatively shut down gossip (八卦, bāguà) by providing counter-evidence.

• Not for Simple Lies: A common mistake is to use 无稽之谈 for a simple, plausible lie. It's reserved for claims that are not just untrue, but *absurdly and fundamentally baseless*.
  • Lie (谎话, huǎnghuà): “I was at the library.” (This is plausible, just untrue).
  • 无稽之谈: “The library was abducted by aliens, so I couldn't go.” (This is fundamentally groundless and absurd).
• Grammatical Usage: It functions as a noun phrase, almost always as the predicate in a sentence: “[Something] is 无稽之谈” (是无稽之谈). It's awkward to use it as a direct object that someone “tells.”
  • Incorrect: 他昨天对我说了个无稽之谈。 (Tā zuótiān duì wǒ shuō le ge wú jī zhī tán.)
  • Correct: 他昨天说的话是无稽之谈。 (Tā zuótiān shuō de huà shì wú jī zhī tán.) - “What he said yesterday was nonsense.”
• Formality: While it's understood by most, using it in a very casual chat with friends might sound overly dramatic or stuffy. For that, a more colloquial term is better.
  • Formal: 这种说法是无稽之谈。(This statement is nonsense.)
  • Informal: 别瞎说了！ (Bié xiāshuō le!) - “Stop talking nonsense!”

• 子虚乌有 (zǐ xū wū yǒu) - Purely fictitious, fabricated. A very close synonym and fellow chengyu, often used interchangeably with 无稽之谈.
• 胡说八道 (hú shuō bā dào) - To talk utter nonsense; gibberish. This is more colloquial and focuses on the chaotic, nonsensical nature of the speech rather than its lack of a verifiable basis.
• 瞎说 (xiāshuō) - (v.) To talk nonsense, speak blindly. A very common and informal verb for “making stuff up.”
• 谣言 (yáoyán) - (n.) A rumor. This is the neutral noun for the piece of information itself. 无稽之谈 is the judgment you pass on that rumor.
• 捕风捉影 (bǔ fēng zhuō yǐng) - Lit. “to chase the wind and clutch at shadows.” Describes the act of making groundless accusations or assumptions based on flimsy evidence.
• 信口开河 (xìn kǒu kāi hé) - To let one's mouth run on; to speak irresponsibly without thinking. This idiom focuses more on the speaker's carelessness than the content of the talk.
• 空穴来风 (kōng xué lái fēng) - A fascinating term often misused to mean “baseless rumor.” Its classical meaning is the opposite: “wind doesn't come from an empty cave,” implying every rumor has some origin. This makes it a great point of contrast with 无稽之谈.