A canard is a false piece of news that someone tells on purpose, usually to hurt a person, a group, or an idea. It is not a simple mistake. Someone made it up, or kept passing it on, so that other people would believe something bad that is not true.

A canardCanard is a false piece of news是一則假消息 that someone tells on purpose某人故意講出來的，usually to hurt a person, a group, or an idea通常是為了傷害某個人、某個群體，或某個想法。It is not a simple mistake這不是單純的一個錯誤。Someone made it up是有人編出來的，or kept passing it on或是不斷把它傳下去，so that other people would believe something bad that is not true好讓別人相信某件不是真的、對某人不利的事。

Writers and people who talk about politics still use this word. It sounds a little fancy and a little old. In ordinary talk, people are more likely to say a lie, a rumour, or fake news. Though actually, a rumour can start by accident; a canard is meant to trick you.

Writers and people who talk about politics作家和談政治的人 still use this word還是會用這個詞。It sounds a little fancy and a little old它聽起來有點文謅謅，也有點老派。In ordinary talk日常說話裡，people are more likely to say a lie, a rumour, or fake news大家比較常說 a lie、a rumour，或 fake news。Though actually不過實際上，a rumour can start by accidentrumour（謠言）可能是無意中傳開的；a canard is meant to trick youcanard 卻是故意要騙你的。

English took the word from French, where canard also means duck. French speakers once talked about “selling someone half a duck” as a way of cheating them — perhaps the last line of an old joke — and later the word duck itself came to stand for the trick. English kept that second meaning.

English took the word from French英文把這個詞從法文借來，where canard also means duck在法文裡 canard 也是「鴨子」的意思。French speakers once talked about "selling someone half a duck"法國人以前會說「賣人家半隻鴨子」 as a way of cheating them來表示騙人——perhaps the last line of an old joke也許是某個老笑話的最後一句——and later the word duck itself came to stand for the trick後來 duck（鴨子）這個字本身就變成用來指這種騙術。English kept that second meaning英文保留了這第二層意思。