Yǎn jiàn fāng wéi shì; chuányán wèibì zhēn.

眼見方為是, 傳言未必真。

Lit Only [what one's] eyes see is fact; hearsay is not necessarily true.

Fig Seeing is believing, but hearing is not reliable.

Note [Cf. Xǐngshì Héngyán, chap. 7; yǎnjiànshìshí, “[What one's] eyes see is fact,” is used as a set phrase; vs. yǎn jiàn wèi wéi zhēn below; see also bǎiwén bùrú above.]

Topics HEARING RELIABILITY SEEING Xǐngshì Héngyán yǎnjiànshìshí