It's Said That (据说)
据说
据说 means "it is said that" or "reportedly," used to introduce information the speaker has heard from others but cannot personally verify.
Pattern
据说 + Clause
Explanation
据说 is a fixed expression meaning "it is said that" or "according to what people say." It is placed at the beginning of a sentence or clause to signal that the information comes from hearsay, rumor, or general knowledge rather than the speaker's direct experience. It is a concise way to cite unverified information.
Grammatically, 据说 functions as an adverbial phrase and is usually placed before the subject of the sentence. It can also appear after the subject. Unlike 听说 (which implies the speaker personally heard the information), 据说 is more impersonal and formal, suggesting widely circulated information rather than something told directly to the speaker.
Related expressions include 据报道 (according to reports), 据了解 (it is understood that), and 据统计 (according to statistics). These follow the same 据 + verb pattern and are common in news writing and formal speech.
Examples
据说那家餐厅的菜特别好吃。
Jùshuō nà jiā cāntīng de cài tèbié hǎo chī.
It's said that restaurant's food is especially delicious.
据说他已经去了美国。
Jùshuō tā yǐjīng qù le Měiguó.
It's said that he has already gone to America.
这种药据说效果很好。
Zhè zhǒng yào jùshuō xiàoguǒ hěn hǎo.
This medicine is said to be very effective.
据说明天会下大雪。
Jùshuō míngtiān huì xià dà xuě.
It's said that there will be heavy snow tomorrow.
Common Mistakes
Wrong
我据说他去了美国。
Correct
据说他去了美国。
据说 is impersonal and should not be preceded by a personal subject like 我. If you want to say you heard it, use 我听说.
Wrong
据说了那件事很有趣。
Correct
据说那件事很有趣。
据说 is a fixed phrase and does not take the aspect particle 了.
Related Grammar Points
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