聞

Translingual

Stroke order

Stroke order (Japan)

Alternative forms

This character has a slight difference between Chinese and Japanese forms.

• In Chinese: 聞
• in Japanese: 聞
• in Korean: 聞

Han character

聞 (Kangxi radical 128, 耳+8, 14 strokes, cangjie input 日弓尸十 (ANSJ), four-corner 7740₁, composition ⿵門耳)

Derived characters

• 𭏾, 𡣟, 𤀳, 𦘁, 𨷝, 𬚩

Related characters

• 闻 (Simplified Chinese)

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 968, character 11
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 29104
• Dae Jaweon: page 1418, character 9
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 7, page 4294, character 12
• Unihan data for U+805E

Chinese

Glyph origin

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *mɯn, *mɯns) : phonetic 門 (OC *mɯːn) + semantic 耳 (“ear”). Compare 問 (OC *mɯns).

Etymology

Probably derived from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *m/s-nam (“to smell”), whence Tibetan མནམ་པ (mnam pa, “to smell of”), Tibetan སྣོམ་པ (snom pa, “to smell”), Jingpho manam (mə³¹ nam⁵⁵, “smell”), Burmese နမ် (nam, “to smell”), Burmese နံ (nam, “to stink”) (Schuessler, 2007). The inversion of n and m in Chinese is the result of labial dissimilation or prefix-preemption.

In almost all major Tibeto-Burman languages, this etymon means only "to smell". One or other factors may help explain the application of "to hear" in Chinese. The semantic affinities of hear ~ smell have a parallel in Tibeto-Burman *na "ear ~ nose" and hence perhaps in Sino-Tibetan (see *r/g-na (“ear”)). The Chinese stem may have converged with a Mon-Khmer etymon (cf. Proto-Monic *smaaɲ (“to inquire”) (ibid.). Also note Tibetan མཉན་པ (mnyan pa, “to listen to; to hear”) which is phonologically quite close to Chinese.

Pronunciation 2 ("be heard about; renowned; fame") is a derivation of pronunciation 1, with passive suffix *-s (ibid.).

問 (OC *mɯns, “to ask”) is the exoactive derivation of pronunciation 1 with suffix *-s, literally "let (me) hear" (ibid.).

Pronunciation 1

Definitions

聞

1. (literary) to hear; to listen

   百聞不如一見／百闻不如一见  ―  bǎi wén bùrú yī jiàn  ―  seeing is believing (literally, “hearing something one hundred times is not as good as seeing it once”)

   • 吾見其人矣，吾聞其語矣。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     吾见其人矣，吾闻其语矣。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Wú jiàn qí rén yǐ, wú wén qí yǔ yǐ.

     I have seen such men, as I have heard such words.

   • 不聞機杼聲，惟聞女嘆息。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     不闻机杼声，惟闻女叹息。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: 《木蘭詩》 (Ballad of Mulan)

     Bù wén jīzhù shēng, wéi wén nǚ tànxī.

     The loom’s sound could not be heard over the girl’s sighs.

   • 聞得妹你話死咯，我實在見悲傷。 [Cantonese, trad.]
     闻得妹你话死咯，我实在见悲伤。 [Cantonese, simp.]

     From: 男燒衣 (Naamyam)

     man⁴ dak¹ mui^6-2 nei⁵ waa⁶ si² lo³, ngo⁵ sat⁶ zoi⁶ gin³ bei¹ soeng¹.

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

2. to smell; to detect; to get a sniff at

   聞味道／闻味道  ―  wén wèidào  ―  to smell the scent

   我乜嘢都聞唔到嘅？ [Cantonese, trad.]
   我乜嘢都闻唔到嘅？ [Cantonese, simp.]

   ngo⁵ mat¹ je⁵ dou¹ man⁴ m⁴ dou³ ge²?

   Why don't I smell anything?

   • 共王駕而自往，入其幄中，聞酒臭而還。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     共王驾而自往，入其幄中，闻酒臭而还。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Han Feizi, circa 2^nd century BCE

     Gòng Wáng jià ér zì wǎng, rù qí wò zhōng, wén jiǔ chòu ér huán.

     Thereupon King Kung rode in a carriage and went to make a personal call. As soon as he entered the tent of the Commissioner, he smelt wine and turned back right away.

3. (literary) to spread; to transmit
4. (literary) to be famous

   • 在邦必聞，在家必聞。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     在邦必闻，在家必闻。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Zài bāng bì wén, zài jiā bì wén.

     It is to be heard of through the state, to be heard of throughout his clan."

   • 廉頗為趙將伐齊，大破之，取晉陽，拜為上卿，以勇氣聞於諸侯。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     廉颇为赵将伐齐，大破之，取晋阳，拜为上卿，以勇气闻于诸侯。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE

     Lián Pō wéi Zhào jiāng fá Qí, dà pò zhī, qǔ Jìnyáng, bài wéi shàngqīng, yǐ yǒngqì wén yú zhūhóu.

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

5. knowledge; expertise

   • 友直，友諒，友多聞，益矣。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     友直，友谅，友多闻，益矣。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Yǒu zhí, yǒu liàng, yǒu duō wén, yì yǐ.

     Friendship with the uplight; friendship with the sincere; and friendship with the man of much observation - these are advantageous.

6. news; message

   新聞／新闻  ―  xīnwén  ―  news

   奇聞／奇闻  ―  qíwén  ―  thrilling or fantastic story

7. a surname

   聞一多／闻一多  ―  Wén Yīduō  ―  Wen Yiduo (Chinese poet)

Synonyms

Compounds

Pronunciation 2

Definitions

聞

1. (literary) reputation; renown; prestige
2. (literary) famous; renowned

Compounds

Japanese

Kanji

(grade 2 “Kyōiku” kanji)

1. hear

Readings

• Go-on: もん (mon, Jōyō)
• Kan-on: ぶん (bun, Jōyō)
• Kun: きく (kiku, 聞く, Jōyō); きこえる (kikoeru, 聞こえる, Jōyō); きこえ (kikoe)

Compounds

Korean

Hanja

聞 (eumhun 들을 문 (deureul mun))

1. Hanja form^? of 문 (“hear”).

Compounds

• 소문 (所聞, somun, “rumor”)
• 신문 (新聞, sinmun, “newspaper”)

Vietnamese

Han character

聞: Hán Nôm readings: văn, vẳn

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.