street gossip; idle rumors; hearsay
A literary yojijukugo referring to unverified talk and rumors circulating among common people. Rare in modern speech; more often encountered in writing or formal contexts.
It is important to verify the facts without being misled by street gossip and idle rumors.
噂 is the common, everyday word for rumor or gossip. 街談巷語 is a rare, literary yojijukugo with a similar meaning but a much more formal and archaic tone.
風聞 also means hearsay or rumor, but is less common than 噂 and slightly more formal. 街談巷語 is even rarer and more literary.
A yojijukugo composed of 街 (town), 談 (talk), 巷 (alley), and 語 (word), literally meaning 'town talk and alley words.' The exact historical origin is uncertain, but it follows a common pattern of four-character compounds expressing everyday, unverified speech.