Proverb / Kotowaza
一犬虚に吠ゆれば万犬実に伝う
Groundless rumors spread rapidly and are accepted as truth by the masses.
When one dog barks at nothing, ten thousand dogs bark as if it were real
Quick Answer
Groundless rumors spread rapidly and are accepted as truth by the masses.
- Literal Image
- When one dog barks at nothing, ten thousand dogs bark as if it were real
- Closest Equivalent
- A rumor runs like wildfire
- How to Use It
- Used to explain the rapid spread of misinformation, especially in contexts such as viral social media rumors or community gossip.
Meaning
This proverb describes how a single unfounded rumor can be amplified by others until it is perceived as a factual event. Using the image of a dog pack, it shows that people repeat information without verifying the source or basis, leading to the widespread acceptance of falsehoods.
Literal Image
When one dog barks at nothing, ten thousand dogs bark as if it were real
Equivalent Proverbs
A rumor runs like wildfire
Both describe the rapid spread of rumors, though the Japanese version emphasizes the blind following of others.
How to Use It
Used to explain the rapid spread of misinformation, especially in contexts such as viral social media rumors or community gossip.
Tone
Cautionary and critical of herd mentality.
Examples
最初は一人が言い出したデマに過ぎなかったが、一犬虚に吠ゆれば万犬実に伝うで、あっという間にSNSで拡散してしまった。
At first it was just a hoax started by one person, but as the saying goes, 'one dog barks at nothing and ten thousand bark for real,' it spread across social media in an instant.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
The use of classical grammar (hoyureba) and the length of the phrase make it less transparent for beginners.
一犬
いっけん / ikken
one dog
虚
きょ / kyo
falsehood; groundless
吠ゆれば
ほゆれば / hoyureba
if [it] barks (classical)
万犬
ばんけん / banken
ten thousand dogs; many dogs
実
じつ / jitsu
truth; reality
Usage Profile
Usage note: It can sound quite critical of judgment, so use it carefully when referring to others.
Misread Risk
Do not use this to mean 'strength in numbers'; it is specifically about the spread of false information.
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Related Proverbs
Origin
This expression originates from the 'Qianfulun' (潜夫論) by Wang Fu (王符), a Chinese thinker from the Later Han period. It draws an analogy between a pack of dogs and human behavior: just as one dog barking at nothing triggers a chain reaction in others who assume there is a reason to bark, people repeat groundless rumors as if they were established facts.
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Source Note
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