If something is rumoured, people are passing a story around, but nobody is standing behind it as a hard fact. You hear it from a friend, from “they say”, or from a paper that is being careful: “It is rumoured that the shop will close.” The speaker is not promising it is true — they are only reporting the talk.

If假如 something is rumoured某件事被謠傳, people are passing a story around大家就在把一個說法傳來傳去, but但 nobody is standing behind it as a hard fact沒有人拍胸脯保證那是確切的事實. You hear it from a friend你可能從朋友那裡聽到, from "they say"或聽人家說, or from a paper that is being careful或從一份措辭謹慎的報紙上看到: "It is rumoured that the shop will close."「據傳這家店要關了。」 The speaker is not promising it is true說話的人不是在保證這是真的 — they are only reporting the talk他們只是在轉述這個說法.

Though actually, a rumour is not always a whisper in a corner. It can be on every phone in town by lunch and still be only a rumour until someone proves it.

Though actually不過其實, a rumour is not always a whisper in a corner謠言不見得只是躲在角落的悄悄話. It can be on every phone in town by lunch它可能到中午就傳遍全鎮每支手機 and still be only a rumour until someone proves it但在有人證實之前,它仍然只是個謠言.

The shape you will meet most is it is rumoured that… or she is rumoured to be… — so the person is not doing the rumoured thing; the talk is happening around them. It feels a little cooler and more grown-up than gossip, but it is still unofficial.

The shape you will meet most你最常會遇到的用法 is就是 it is rumoured that…「it is rumoured that…」(據傳…) or或 she is rumoured to be…「she is rumoured to be…」(據傳她是…) — so所以 the person is not doing the rumoured thing當事人並不是在做那件被傳的事; the talk is happening around them議論是圍繞著他們發生的. It feels a little cooler and more grown-up than gossip它給人的感覺比gossip(八卦)冷靜、成熟一點, but it is still unofficial但終究還是非正式的說法.

Teachers, newspapers, and office chat all use it when they want to share a story without putting their name on it.

Teachers, newspapers, and office chat all use it老師、報紙、辦公室閒聊都會用這個詞 when they want to share a story without putting their name on it當他們想分享一個說法卻不想掛名負責的時候.

British spelling keeps the u (rumour, rumoured); American spelling drops it (rumor, rumored). Same word, same meaning.

British spelling keeps the u英式拼法保留u (rumour, rumoured rumour、rumoured); American spelling drops it美式拼法把它去掉 (rumor, rumored rumor、rumored). Same word same meaning同一個詞,同一個意思.