听

• Pinyin: tīng
• Hanzi breakdown: 听 = 口 (mouth) + 斤 (axe, phonetic) — simplified from 聽 which contains 耳 (ear)

Meaning

To listen; to hear. A fundamental verb for auditory perception.

Can mean both active listening (听音乐 = listen to music) and passive hearing. Often combined with result complements: 听到 (heard successfully), 听见 (perceived a sound), 听懂 (understood what was heard). Also means 'to obey' in some contexts (听话 = obedient).

Examples

1. 我喜欢听音乐。 I like listening to music.
2. 请听老师说。 Please listen to the teacher.
3. 你听，外面有人在唱歌。 Listen, someone outside is singing.

Usage Guide

Context: communication, entertainment, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 你听得懂中文吗？(Can you understand spoken Chinese?)
• 我每天听中文歌。(I listen to Chinese songs every day.)

Don't Say

• 我听了音乐在早上。(Wrong word order — say 我早上听了音乐; time words come before the verb in Chinese)

Origin & History

The simplified character 听 combines 口 (mouth) and 斤 (axe, phonetic). The traditional form 聽 contains 耳 (ear), which better reflects the meaning.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal