Meaning
听 is one of the most fundamental verbs in Mandarin, meaning to listen or to hear. It describes the action of perceiving sound with your ears, whether actively listening or passively hearing. The word can also mean to obey or heed advice, as in 听话 (to be obedient).
Usage
Native speakers use 听 in everyday conversation for anything related to auditory perception. It commonly appears with 见 (to form 听见, emphasizing successful hearing) or with objects like 音乐 (music), 课 (class), or 话 (words/speech). When used alone, it emphasizes the active process of listening.
Examples
- 01我喜欢听音乐。.I like to listen to music.
- 02你听见他说什么了吗？?Did you hear what he said?
Common collocations
- 听音乐to listen to music
- 听课to attend class, to listen to a lecture
- 听话to be obedient, to listen (to advice)
- 听不懂cannot understand (by listening)
Antonyms
Origin
The traditional form 聽 is a phonosemantic compound with 耳 (ear) as the semantic component and 𢛳 as the phonetic component, clearly showing the connection to auditory perception. The simplified form 听 repurposes an older, simpler character.