耳に挟む

• Reading: みみにはさむ
• Romaji: mimi ni hasamu
• Kanji breakdown: 耳 (mimi/ji) — ear; 挟 (hasa/kyō) — to pinch, insert between
• Pronunciation: /mi.mi.ni.ha.sa.mɯ/

Meaning

To happen to hear; to overhear. Implies catching information casually or incidentally, not through deliberate listening.

A compound expression combining 耳 (ear) with 挟む (to pinch/insert between). Group 1 (godan) conjugation via 挟む. Conveys that the speaker picked up information without actively seeking it. Often used as a polite or indirect way of saying one heard something.

Examples

1. ちょっと耳に挟んだのですが、来月人事異動があるそうですね。 I happened to hear that there will be a personnel transfer next month.
2. 彼が転職するという話を耳に挟んだ。 I caught wind of the story that he's changing jobs.
3. 隣の席の会話を耳に挟んでしまった。 I accidentally overheard the conversation from the seat next to me.

Usage Guide

Context: conversation, gossip, workplace

Tone: indirect

Origin & History

Idiomatic expression using the metaphor of something being 'pinched' by the ear — information caught between the ears without intention.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal