About
The character 聱 is a phono-semantic compound formed by the semantic radical 耳 (ear) and the phonetic component 敖. It originally conveyed the idea of being unheeding or stubbornly refusing to listen. Over time, its usage shifted, and it is now primarily found in the compound word jie'ao (诘聱 or 佶聱), which describes language or speech that is harsh-sounding, difficult to pronounce, or awkward to read aloud. This modern usage shifts the focus from the act of hearing to the difficulty of producing the sound.
Etymology Hide
