無中生有

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Chinese

not have
middle; centre; within
middle; centre; within; among; in; while (doing something); during; China; Chinese; hit (the mark)
 
to be born; to give birth; life
to be born; to give birth; life; to grow; student; raw
 
to have; there is; there are
to have; there is; there are; to exist; to be
 
trad. (無中生有) 無 中 生 有
simp. (无中生有) 无 中 生 有

Etymology

From Chapter 40 of Tao Te Ching:

天下萬物生於有，有生於無。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
天下万物生于有，有生于无。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: Tao Te Ching, 4th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Tiānxià wànwù shēng yú yǒu, yǒu shēng yú wú.
All things under heaven sprang from It as existing (and named); that existence sprang from It as non-existent (and not named).

Pronunciation

Idiom

無中生有

  1. (Taoism) all existence sprang from nonexistence
  2. to fabricate; to make up unfounded rumor; to trump up
  3. out of thin air
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