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聾 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
聾lóngdeafx, 22 strokes, radical 耳
lóng(long2) T2
  1. 1deaf
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

聾lóng(long2)

The character 聾 (lóng) means 'deaf' and refers to the inability to hear. It is commonly used in both medical contexts and everyday conversations to describe individuals with hearing impairments. The term carries a neutral connotation and is often found in discussions about accessibility and inclusion.

Strokes22Radical耳
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, there is a growing emphasis on inclusivity for individuals with disabilities, including those who are deaf. The term 聾 is often involved in discussions about the importance of sign language and improving accessibility in public spaces.

Memory Tip

Imagine a loud 'long' horn that can’t be heard by a person who is deaf. The character 聾 is made up of the 'ear' radical (耳) on the right, indicating a connection to hearing, paired with the phonetic component '龙' (lóng), which means dragon. Picture a dragon trying to shout but no one can hear it!

Meanings of 聾

lóng(long2)
1deaf
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 聾

聾Simplified
22Strokes
耳Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 聾

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Podcast: 聾

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 聾

Quick Contrast

聋 (lóng) vs 耳聋 (ěr lóng) — use 聾 for a general description of deafness, while 耳聋 specifically refers to hearing loss related to the ear.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 聾 with other terms related to hearing, such as 听 (tīng) which means 'to listen'. This word is typically used in formal contexts, such as medical documents or discussions about disabilities. Ensure you're using the correct tone, as mispronouncing it can change its meaning.

HSK Study Tips

Although 聾 is not an HSK vocabulary word, it connects to HSK Level 3 terms related to senses and perception. Focus on using it in sentences that describe abilities or disabilities, enhancing your vocabulary around health and accessibility.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 聾 with 聽 (tīng), which means 'to listen'. For example, saying '我聾这个音乐' (wǒ lóng zhège yīnyuè) instead of '我聽这个音乐' (wǒ tīng zhège yīnyuè) leads to a misunderstanding. Remember, 聾 refers specifically to being deaf.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 聾

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Etymology of 聾

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 耳 represents the meaning and 龙 represents the sound. Simplified form of 聾.

Memory Hint

ear

Semantic (meaning)耳
+
Phonetic (sound)龍
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 聾

Phonosemantic compound. 耳 represents the meaning and 龙 represents the sound. Simplified form of 聾.

  1. 1The meaning half耳 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half龍 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayear
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 聾? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 聾?

Decomposition of 聾

IDS Structure⿱龍耳
聾Full Character
=
龍long2
top
耳er3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 聾?

How to say deaf in Chinese

“deaf” in Chinese is聾lóng

The character 聾 (lóng) means 'deaf' and refers to the inability to hear. It is commonly used in both medical contexts and everyday conversations to describe individuals with hearing impairments. The term carries a neutral connotation and is often found in discussions about accessibility and inclusion.

When to use 聾

Be careful not to confuse 聾 with other terms related to hearing, such as 听 (tīng) which means 'to listen'. This word is typically used in formal contexts, such as medical documents or discussions about disabilities. Ensure you're using the correct tone, as mispronouncing it can change its meaning.

聾 or something close to it

聋 (lóng) vs 耳聋 (ěr lóng) — use 聾 for a general description of deafness, while 耳聋 specifically refers to hearing loss related to the ear.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 聾 with 聽 (tīng), which means 'to listen'. For example, saying '我聾这个音乐' (wǒ lóng zhège yīnyuè) instead of '我聽这个音乐' (wǒ tīng zhège yīnyuè) leads to a misunderstanding. Remember, 聾 refers specifically to being deaf.

Write 聾

聾

Practice writing 聾 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 聾

Words Containing This Character8
聋lóngdeaf聾
聋子deaf person聾子
耳聋deaf耳聾
聋哑lóngyǎdeaf and dumb聾啞
震耳欲聋ear-splitting (idiom); deafening震耳欲聾
装聋作哑to play deaf-mute裝聾作啞
振聋发聩lit. so loud that even the deaf can hear (idiom); rousing even the apathetic振聾發聵
发聋振聩lit. so loud that even the deaf can hear (idiom); rousing even the apathetic發聾振聵
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 聋 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 聾

You can say '他是聾人' (tā shì lóng rén), which means 'He is deaf.'

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