About
聱 is a phono-semantic compound formed from the radical 耳 (ear) and the phonetic 敖. The ear component originally gave the character its meaning: refusing to listen or stubbornly disregarding advice. Over time, this sense receded, and today 聱 appears almost exclusively in the compound jie'ao (诘聱 or 佶聱), where it describes speech or writing that is harsh-sounding, awkward to pronounce, and difficult to read aloud, shifting the focus from hearing to the difficulty of vocal production.
Etymology Hide
Report an issue
Flag incorrect definitions, examples, etymology, etc.