Let's learn some advanced Chinese phrases about truth (or lack of it), and distrust in government

Here are my top 5 phrases from this week's Slow Chinese newsletter.

(I guarantee at least 2 of them will be new to you)!

👇

1/ "The truth" - 真相 zhēn xiàng

Starting with an easy one!

Direct translation is "true" and "face"

2/ "The truth is revealed" - 水落石出 shuǐ luò shí chū

Direct translation: "when the water recedes the stones are exposed", normally used when a crime or negative action is seen for what it is

3/ "Tacitus Trap" - 塔西陀陷阱 tǎ xī tuó xiàn jǐng

This is a political theory named after Roman historian Tacitus. It’s more common in Chinese than English, describing lack of trust in government: everything it does is seen as a lie.

4/ "Where there's smoke, there's fire" - 事出反常必有妖 shì chū fǎn cháng bì yǒu yāo

Part of a longer phrase: "When something unusual happens, there’s probably an evil behind it; when a person behaves unusually, he probably has a knife"

事出反常必有妖，人若反常必有刀。

5/ "A cover up" - 大事化小，小事化了 dà shì huà xiǎo, xiǎo shì huà liǎo

Direct translation is: "turning major issues into minor ones, making minor issues dissappear"

In summary:

1/ The truth 真相

2/ The truth is revealed 水落石出

3/ Tacitus Trap 塔西陀陷阱

4/ Where there's smoke, there's fire 事出反常必有妖

5/ A cover up 大事化小，小事化了

So, how many did you know?

Want to learn more phrases like this?

See this week's Slow Chinese newsletter.

(Sign up to get it in your inbox every Saturday - for free!)

https://newsletter.slowchinese.net/p/waiting-for-the-truth-13e