three people spreading reports of a tiger make you believe there is one around(sān rén chéng hǔ)

three people spreading reports of a tiger make you believe there is one around

Three people become a tiger is an idiom evolved from a fable story, which comes from "Warring States strategy · Wei CE 2" (on Han Feizi · neichu).

This idiom refers to the fact that when more people speak, people can take rumors as facts.

The origin of Idioms

Version 1: in the Western Han Dynasty, Liu Xiang's "Warring States strategy · Wei strategy 2", Pang Cong and the prince were in Handan, saying that the king of Wei said: "today, one person says that there is a tiger in the market, does the king believe it?" "No," said the king "Two people say that there are tigers in the market. Does Wang Xin believe it?" Wang said, "I doubt it." "Three people say that there are tigers in the market. Does Wang believe it?" Wang said, "I believe it." Pang Cong said: "it's clear that there is no tiger in the city of Fu, but the three people's words make a tiger. Today, Handan is far away from Daliang, and there are too many councilors. May the king observe it. " Wang said, "I know for myself." Therefore, words of farewell and slander come first. When the empress prince gave up the pledge, the result could not be seen. Version 2: Han Fei's Han Fei Zi Nei Chu Shuo Shang written by Han Fei in the Warring States period. Pang Gong and the prince were in Handan, saying that the king of Wei said: "today, one person talks about the tiger in the market. Does the king believe it?" "I don't believe it," he said "Two people say that there are tigers in the market. Does Wang Xin believe it?" Japan: "do not believe." "Three people say that there are tigers in the market. Does Wang believe it?" Wang said, "I believe it." Pang Gong said, "it's clear that there is no tiger in the city of Fu. However, the three people's words make a tiger. Today, Handan is far away from the city, and there are more than three councilors. I hope Wang chazhi will Pang Gong turned back from Handan, but he could not be seen.

Idioms and allusions

During the Warring States period, Pang Cong, the Minister of the state of Wei, accompanied the prince to the state of Zhao as a hostage. Before he set out, he said to the king of Wei, "now there is a man who says that there is a tiger in the market. Does the king believe it?" The king of Wei replied, "I don't believe it." Pang Cong then asked, "if there are two people who say that there are tigers in the market, does the king believe it?" "I will have some doubts," the king said Pang Cong then said, "if there is a third person who says there are tigers in the market, will you believe it?" The king of Wei replied, "of course I will." Pang Cong said: "it's obvious that there won't be tigers in the market at all, but after the spread of three people, it seems that there are tigers in the market. Today, Handan, the capital of the state of Zhao, and Daliang, the capital of the state of Wei, are far away from the market than the royal palace. There are more than three people who criticize me. I hope the king can have a good insight. " The king of Wei said, "I have a good idea of this. You can rest assured to go." Sure enough, as soon as Pang Cong left with the prince, someone framed him in front of the king of Wei. At the beginning, the king of Wei would defend Pang Cong. There were more people who framed Pang Cong, and the king of Wei believed it. After Pang Cong and the prince returned home, the king of Wei never called him again.

The meaning of Idioms

If a lie is repeated a thousand times, it will be regarded as truth. There is no tiger in the street, which is beyond doubt. Because people say so, it becomes true. Idioms and fables tell us that in real life, we should neither believe in rumors nor spread them. We should be good at serious analysis and careful thinking from the complicated social comments. We should always keep a clear mind. Only in this way can we make fewer mistakes or even no mistakes.

Use of Idioms

Written usage with a derogatory meaning, generally do clause. In practice, many people misunderstand it as "United, powerful", which is wrong. Huang Tingjian's advice to Zhang he's father's wine in the Northern Song Dynasty: "there are many things that make a tiger out of three people, and many people are willing to forgive themselves." In the romance of Sui and Tang Dynasties written by Chu Rendi in the Qing Dynasty: "it is the accumulation and destruction that makes a mountain, and three people make a tiger. In October of the 20th year of kaihuang, the emperor of Sui dynasty ruled Wude hall and declared that Yong was a common man

Chinese PinYin : sān rén chéng hǔ