To perceive sound through the ear and understand spoken words.
To listen, hear, pay attention, or obey. A mouth (口) beside an axe (斤) weighing the sounds that come in.
听
Common Usage & Traps
- 听音乐 — listen to music
- 听我说 — listen to me
- 听不懂 — can't understand what's being said
- 听说 — I heard that / rumor has it
- 好听 — nice to listen to / sounds good
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听老师听老师说话 / 听老师讲课听 wants a sound or a speech as its object, not just a person. English 'listen to the teacher' doesn't map word for word.
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我会听中文我听不懂中文 / 我听得懂中文会听 means you're able or willing to listen, not that you can understand speech. Understanding by ear needs 听得懂.
What's the difference between 听 and 听见?
听 is listening on purpose; 听见 is what actually reaches your ears.
听 is an action you choose to do. You can 听 for an hour and catch nothing. 听见 means the sound actually made it in. So 我在听 means 'I'm listening,' while 我听见了 means 'I heard it.' To say you didn't catch something, use 没听见, not 没听.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Action vs result | 我在听音乐 (I'm listening to music) | 我在听见音乐 (broken) |
| Did you catch it? | 我听见了 (I heard it) | 我听了 (I listened, but maybe heard nothing) |
| Negation | 没听见 (didn't hear) | 没听 (didn't listen, different meaning) |
Why do Chinese people say 听不懂 instead of just 不懂?
听不懂 is about speech you hear but can't decode; 不懂 is general.
When someone talks too fast, you say 听不懂. When a math problem stumps you, you say 不懂. The 听 part tells people the wall is with your ears. Same pattern: 看不懂 for written text, 听不懂 for spoken.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Spoken language | 你说太快，我听不懂 | 你说太快，我不懂 |
| Written text | 这个字我看不懂 | 这个字我听不懂 |
| General confusion | 我不懂这个问题 | 我听不懂这个问题 (unless it was spoken) |
Why does 听说 mean 'I heard that' instead of 'listen and speak'?
听说 is one fixed chunk meaning 'I heard from others that...'
听说 works as a single unit for secondhand news. 听说他结婚了 means 'I heard he got married.' Don't split it into 听 plus 说. And don't mix it up with 听我说, which is the command 'listen to me.'
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Secondhand info | 听说这家店很好吃 | 我听这家店很好吃 |
| Direct command | 听我说 (listen to me) | 听说我 (wrong meaning) |
| Talking about someone | 我听说他走了 | 我听了说他走了 |
Appears in Stories 11 stories
A young man helps an old man look for his cat. But the real surprise is why the old man wanted to find the cat. Read on to learn about kindness and friendship.
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听见 有人和我说话，我觉得非常高兴。”
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白天明 听 了，坐在老先生前边。
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老先生 听 了，非常高兴。
Is four years to reach HSK 5 fast or slow? Follow a conversation between two learners as they compare study hours and share realistic strategies for busy adults.
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汉语是“说汉语”，也可以“ 听 汉语”；但是中文是“读中文”，中文和汉字都是眼睛在看。
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大家能 听懂 你的意思就可以了。
Before you read, close your eyes and imagine a rainy afternoon. This story uses simple HSK 1 words to show how rain can become a talking friend.
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雨 好听 。
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听 ——我 听见 雨说话。
Before you read: this is a short rhyming poem. You will meet a doctor who asks about seeing and hearing. Try to spot words you already know!
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听见 听不见 ？
This heartwarming story shows how a small act of kindness can be passed on. Follow Gao Xianming as he learns an important lesson about generosity in his new city.
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高先明 听了 ，觉得非常高兴。
Follow Xiao Li as he copes with the effects of forest fires near his home in the US and reflects on environmental changes. A thoughtful story for HSK 4 learners.
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不过，好在没有 听说 有起火的地方。
This heartwarming story reveals the quiet devotion of a father. As you read, notice the repeated actions and how a simple cup of tea becomes meaningful.
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大中 听 了，看那杯不热的茶，觉得老先生很好。
Why would a millionaire leave a table of lobster and wagyu untouched? This story explores the hidden rules of business dining and the true cost of staying alert.
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可他一开口，整桌人都停下来 听 。
Discover how a simple letter from a cookie seller led to an unexpected friendship with a famous scholar. This heartwarming story explores kindness and connection across social divides.
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胡之适一 听 他说，便立即给一位做院长的朋友写了封信，说：这是我的朋友元真。
This short poem plays with words that sound alike, comparing things that are good to watch, read, hear, or taste. Perfect for practicing basic adjectives like 好 and 真.
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好歌真 好听 ，真话不 好听 。
Chat about where friends study Chinese while exploring 哪儿 and 哪里 across Beijing and Shanghai. Practice asking “where”, talking about “here” and “there”, and using the modest reply 哪里哪里 to accept a compliment.
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我 听 钱老师说，“where”是“哪儿”。
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