据说...
Reach for this when you want to share information without claiming you know it's true — 'it is said that,' 'reportedly,' 'word has it.' Use it for gossip, rumors, news you haven't verified, or facts you've heard secondhand. It's the journalist's hedge and the storyteller's setup: by leading with 据说, you keep your distance from the claim and let the listener decide whether to trust it.
Structure
据说 [CLAIM]
jùshuō...
How to Think About It
据说 literally means 'according to what is said.' It puts the entire claim that follows in quotation marks without naming a specific source. Drop it and you're asserting the claim yourself; add it and you're passing on someone else's word. Native speakers use 据说 to share interesting tidbits without committing to them — it's the verbal equivalent of 'don't quote me on this.'
Examples
据说这家餐厅是城里最好的。
Jùshuō zhè jiā cāntīng shì chéng lǐ zuì hǎo de.
They say this restaurant is the best in the city.
据说他下个月要结婚。
Jùshuō tā xià gè yuè yào jiéhūn.
Reportedly he's getting married next month.
据说那部电影非常好看。
Jùshuō nà bù diànyǐng fēicháng hǎokàn.
It's said that movie is really good.
Common Mistake
Learners place 据说 in the middle of a sentence ('他据说很有钱'), but 据说 should sit at the very start of the clause it modifies. The whole claim follows 据说 in one block.
他据说昨天回国了。
据说他昨天回国了。
Don't Confuse With
听说...
'I heard that...' — more personal, implies you specifically heard it from someone. 据说 is more impersonal and hedged, fitting for news and rumors with no clear source. 听说 fits casual chat ('I heard you got a new job').
传说...
Refers to legends or long-standing folklore — 'legend has it.' Use 传说 for historical or mythical claims; use 据说 for current rumors or recent reports.
据报道...
'According to reports' — specifically cites journalism. More formal and used in news writing. 据说 is broader and includes hearsay, not just media reports.
Practice
___ 他考试得了第一名。
Show answer
据说
据 ___ 这个地方有鬼。
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说
Put in order: [据说 / 老板 / 要 / 离职 / 今年]
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据说老板今年要离职。
Translate to Chinese: 'It is said the new movie is amazing.'
Show answer
据说这部新电影很棒。
Write one sentence using 据说... to share a rumor or piece of unverified information.
Show answer
Example answer: 据说下个星期会下雪。 (Apparently it's going to snow next week.)
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 1 Fluentide episode:
Related Grammar Patterns
Acquire by listening
Hear 据说... in real Chinese, not in a textbook.
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