Definitions
(noun)
ear
(noun)
handle
Etymology
Pictograph of an ear.
About
The character "耳" originated as a pictographic representation of the human ear, and its modern form continues to echo that outline. It functions as a standalone character and also serves as a radical in numerous other characters related to auditory concepts, such as "聽" (to listen) and "聲" (sound). While its primary meaning has always been the physical organ of hearing, in classical Chinese it developed a secondary role as a sentence-final particle expressing limitation or emphasis. This grammatical usage has largely faded, and the character now most commonly appears in lexical compounds like "耳朵" for ear, ensuring its core semantic focus remains on auditory functions.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我的耳朵很痒。
他喜欢戴耳机听音乐。
姐姐的耳环很漂亮。
每天早上鸟儿在窗外鸣叫。
请把重要的事情记在心里。
这个消息早已传遍四方。
他们在角落里低声耳语。
巨大的爆炸声震破了我的耳膜。