| 耳听为虚，眼见为实 |
ěr tīng wéi xū , yǎn jiàn wéi shí |
(idiom) you cannot always trust what you hear, but seeing is believing |
| 耳 |
ěr |
ear / handle (archaeology) / and that is all (Classical Chinese) |
| 听 |
yǐn |
smile (archaic) |
| 听 |
tīng |
to listen to; to hear / to heed; to obey / a can (loanword from English "tin") / classifier for canned beverages / to let be; to allow (Taiwan pr. [ting4]) / (literary) to administer; to deal with (Taiwan pr. [ting4]) |
| 为 |
wéi |
as (in the capacity of) / to take sth as / to act as / to serve as / to behave as / to become / to be / to do / by (in the passive voice) |
| 为 |
wèi |
because of / for / to |
| 为 |
wéi |
variant of 为 |
| 为 |
wèi |
variant of 为 |
| 虚 |
xū |
emptiness / void / abstract theory or guiding principles / empty or unoccupied / diffident or timid / false / humble or modest / (of health) weak / virtual / in vain |
| 眼 |
yǎn |
eye (CL:只,双) / (often used with 一) a look; a glance / small hole / (bound form) salient point / classifier for wells, cave-dwellings etc |
| 眼见 |
yǎn jiàn |
to see with one's own eyes / very soon |
| 眼见为实 |
yǎn jiàn wéi shí |
seeing is believing |
| 见 |
jiàn |
to see / to meet / to appear (to be sth) / to interview / opinion / view |
| 见 |
xiàn |
to appear / also written 现 |
| 为 |
wéi |
as (in the capacity of) / to take sth as / to act as / to serve as / to behave as / to become / to be / to do / by (in the passive voice) |
| 为 |
wèi |
because of / for / to |
| 为 |
wéi |
variant of 为 |
| 为 |
wèi |
variant of 为 |
| 实 |
shí |
real / true / honest / really / solid / fruit / seed / definitely |