眼见为实，耳听为虚

Traditional form:

眼見為實，耳聽為虛

Pinyin (reading):

yǎnjiànwéishí,ěrtīngwéixū

Definitions:

• to believe what one sees, not what one hears (idiom). Don't believe what people tell you until you see if for yourself.
• It ain't necessarily so.

Characters:

• 眼 - eyelet, hole, opening
• 见 - to see, to observe, to meet, to appear
• 为 - to do, to act; to handle, to govern; to be
• 实 - real, true; honest, sincere
• 耳 - ear; to hear, to hear of; handle
• 听 - to hear, to listen; to understand; to obey
• 为 - to do, to act; to handle, to govern; to be
• 虚 - false; worthless, hollow, empty; vain

Traditional characters:

• 眼 - eyelet, hole, opening
• 見 - to see, to observe, to meet, to appear
• 為 - to do, to act; to handle, to govern; to be
• 實 - real, true; honest, sincere
• 耳 - ear; to hear, to hear of; handle
• 聽 - to hear, to listen; to understand; to obey
• 為 - to do, to act; to handle, to govern; to be
• 虛 - false; worthless, hollow, empty; vain