飞短流长

飛短流長
fēiduǎnliúcháng
to spread malicious gossip

CEDICT

流传于众人之口的閒言閒语。《聊斋志异．卷五．封三娘》：「妾来当须祕密，造言生事者，飞短流长，所不堪受。」《二十年目睹之怪现状．第四九回》：「只是外间的飞短流长，未免令人闻而生厌罢了。」也作「蜚短流长」、「飞流短长」。

重編國語辭典

Entry Composition

1 飞 fēi to fly
2 短 duǎn
  1. short
  2. brief
  3. to lack
  4. weak point
  5. fault
3 流 liú
  1. to flow
  2. to disseminate
  3. to circulate or spread
  4. to move or drift
  5. to degenerate
  6. to banish or send into exile
  7. stream of water or sth resembling one
  8. class, rate or grade
4 长 cháng
  1. long
  2. (bound form) length
  3. (bound form) strong point; forte
  4. (bound form) to be good at
  5. (literary) surplus; spare (Taiwan pr. zhàng)

Related entries

蜚短流长 fēiduǎnliúcháng
  1. to spread malicious gossip
  2. also written 飞短流长 fēiduǎnliúcháng