人言可畏

rényánkěwèi
gossip is a fearful thing (idiom)

CEDICT

gossip is a fearful thing

Wiktionary

社會輿論力量很大，令人敬畏。語本《詩經．鄭風．將仲子》：「人之多言，亦可畏也。」今多指流言蜚語令人生畏。清．洪昇《長生殿．第七齣》：「遂蒙天眷，勉爾承恩。聖意雖濃，人言可畏。」《活地獄．第三○回》：「但是人言可畏，必定也要明明心。」

重編國語辭典

Entry Composition

1 人言 rényán
  1. (literary) what people are saying
  2. Alternative name for 砒霜 (pīshuāng, “arsenic trioxide”).
  3. what people are saying
  4. words, speech
2 可畏 kěwèi
  1. dreadful
  2. formidable