Meanings of 聽
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About 聽
Podcast: 聽
Podcast: 聽
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AI Study Notes for 聽
听 (tīng) vs 聆 (líng) — use 聽 for casual listening or hearing, while 聆 is more formal and suggests a deeper, attentive listening.
A common mistake is to confuse 聽 with 聞 (wén), which means 'to smell' or 'to hear' in a different context. While 聽 encompasses active listening, it is typically used in informal contexts; in formal settings, one might prefer 聆聽 (língtīng). Be mindful of the tone; the first tone (tīng) is crucial.
Though not officially in the HSK levels, 聽 relates closely to listening exercises in HSK 1 and 2. Students should focus on recognizing it in spoken contexts and practicing its usage in sentences, especially in commands or inquiries.
Learners often mistakenly use 聽 when they mean to refer to passive hearing; for example, saying '我聽到音樂' (Wǒ tīng dào yīnyuè) instead of the more appropriate '我聽音樂' (Wǒ tīng yīnyuè) to indicate actively listening.
Pronunciation of 聽
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Etymology of 聽
Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 厅 represents the sound. Simplified form of 聽. The right side looks like 斤 (axe) but is actually a corruption of 厅.
Someone listening 耳 attentively 心
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 聽
Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 厅 represents the sound. Simplified form of 聽. The right side looks like 斤 (axe) but is actually a corruption of 厅.
- 1The giveawaySomeone listening 耳 attentively 心
- 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 聽? 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 聽
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How to say to hear, to listen; to understand; to obey in Chinese
“to hear, to listen; to understand; to obey” in Chinese is聽
The character 聽 (tīng) means 'to hear' or 'to listen' and can also imply understanding or obeying. It is commonly used in contexts where attention to sound or instructions is required, such as listening to music or following directions.
When to use 聽
A common mistake is to confuse 聽 with 聞 (wén), which means 'to smell' or 'to hear' in a different context. While 聽 encompasses active listening, it is typically used in informal contexts; in formal settings, one might prefer 聆聽 (língtīng). Be mindful of the tone; the first tone (tīng) is crucial.
聽 or something close to it
听 (tīng) vs 聆 (líng) — use 聽 for casual listening or hearing, while 聆 is more formal and suggests a deeper, attentive listening.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mistakenly use 聽 when they mean to refer to passive hearing; for example, saying '我聽到音樂' (Wǒ tīng dào yīnyuè) instead of the more appropriate '我聽音樂' (Wǒ tīng yīnyuè) to indicate actively listening.
Write 聽
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Practice writing 聽 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 聽
Compound Meaning
What does 听 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 聽
You can say '我在聽音樂' (Wǒ zài tīng yīnyuè) meaning 'I am listening to music.'
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