Meanings of 聞
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About 聞
Podcast: 聞
Podcast: 聞
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AI Study Notes for 聞
聞 (wén) vs 聲 (shēng) — choose 聞 for hearing or smelling, while 聲 specifically refers to sound.
Be mindful that 聞 can be confused with the similar sounding character 聞 (wèn), which means 'to ask.' In everyday conversation, it is used more informally but is also acceptable in formal contexts. Common collocations include 聞到 (wén dào - to hear or smell something) and 聞名 (wén míng - well-known).
While 聞 is not explicitly listed in HSK levels, it can be connected to other HSK vocabulary related to communication and perception, such as 听 (tīng - to listen). Focus on practicing its pronunciation and recognizing it in common phrases to enhance listening comprehension.
Learners often confuse 聞 with 聞 (wèn) which means 'to ask.' A common mistake is saying 聞问题 (wén wèntí - to hear a question) instead of asking for clarification. The correct usage would be to say 问问题 (wèn wèntí).
Pronunciation of 聞
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Etymology of 聞
Phonosemantic compound. 耳 represents the meaning and 门 represents the sound. Simplified form of 聞.
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Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 聞
Phonosemantic compound. 耳 represents the meaning and 门 represents the sound. Simplified form of 聞.
- 1The meaning half耳 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half門 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawayear
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 聞? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 聞
Identify the Components
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How to say news; to hear, to smell; to make known in Chinese
“news; to hear, to smell; to make known” in Chinese is聞
The character 聞 (wén) primarily means 'to hear' or 'to smell,' and it can also refer to news or information that is made known. It is commonly used in contexts involving communication, sensory perception, and information dissemination. This character is often found in phrases related to listening or being informed about events.
When to use 聞
Be mindful that 聞 can be confused with the similar sounding character 聞 (wèn), which means 'to ask.' In everyday conversation, it is used more informally but is also acceptable in formal contexts. Common collocations include 聞到 (wén dào - to hear or smell something) and 聞名 (wén míng - well-known).
聞 or something close to it
聞 (wén) vs 聲 (shēng) — choose 聞 for hearing or smelling, while 聲 specifically refers to sound.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 聞 with 聞 (wèn) which means 'to ask.' A common mistake is saying 聞问题 (wén wèntí - to hear a question) instead of asking for clarification. The correct usage would be to say 问问题 (wèn wèntí).
Write 聞
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Practice writing 聞 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 聞
Compound Meaning
What does 新闻 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 聞
The pinyin is 'wén', pronounced with a rising tone, similar to the English word 'when' but with a slight upward inflection.
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