传闻 (chuán wén) literally combines 传 (chuán), meaning 'to transmit' or 'to pass on', and 闻 (wén), meaning 'to hear' or 'to learn of'. Together, they form a noun meaning 'rumor' or 'hearsay' — information that spreads orally without verification. It carries a neutral-to-slightly-negative connotation, implying uncertainty and lack of authoritative source.

This word is commonly used in both spoken and written Chinese, especially when discussing unconfirmed news, gossip, or circulating stories — for example, in media reports, casual conversations about celebrities, or workplace speculation. Unlike more formal terms like 消息 (xiāo xī, 'information') or 新闻 (xīn wén, 'news'), 传闻 suggests the content hasn’t been substantiated. It often appears with verbs like 'spread' (传播), 'circulate' (流传), or 'believe' (相信), and frequently modifies nouns like 'story' (故事) or 'report' (报道).