Definition & Meaning

catch the wind and swipe at shadows; speak or act on flimsy evidence; spread rumours or act on unsubstantiated evidence

Word usage

bǔ fēng zhuō yǐng

捕 风 捉 影

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Chinese dictionary
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derogcatch the wind and swipe at shadows; speak or act on flimsy evidence; spread rumours or act on unsubstantiated evidence
- tā cóng lái méi yǒu yě yǒng yuǎn bù huì wú zhōng shēng yǒu bǔ fēng zhuō yǐng
  她从来没有，也永远不会无中生有，捕风捉影。
  She never did and never could put words together out of her own head.
- tā ài bǔ fēng zhuō yǐng tīng fēng jiù shì yǔ
  她爱捕风捉影，听风就是雨。
  She's inclined to put two and two together and make five.
synonym
wú zhōng shēng yǒu无中生有 kōng xué lái fēng空穴来风 dào tīng tú shuō道听途说 zǐ xū wū yǒu子虚乌有 wàng fēng bǔ yǐng望风捕影 xì fēng bǔ yǐng系风捕影
antonym
shí shì qiú shì实事求是 zhēn píng shí jù真凭实据 yán zhī záo záo言之凿凿 yán bì yǒu jù言必有据 yǒu àn kě jī有案可稽 xìn ér yǒu zhēng信而有征 què záo bù yí确凿不移

Word usage

Note
"捕风捉影" is different from "无中生有". "捕风捉影" refers to the absence and disregard of real facts or evidence; "无中生有" refers to deliberate fabrication of facts or evidence.

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