Definitions

tīng (verb) to listen; to hear; to obey

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Simplified form of . Before was used as a simplified character, it was pronounced yǐn and was an archaic word for "smile".

About

The traditional character 聽 is a complex phono-semantic compound built from the semantic radical 耳 (ear), alongside components suggesting a straight heart and eyes, implying attentive and virtuous listening. In contrast, the simplified character 听 has a distinct structure. It originally meant "to smile", formed from the mouth radical 口 and the phonetic component 斤, which also means an axe or a unit of weight. This simpler form was later adopted as a phonetic substitute for the traditional 聽, shifting the visual etymology from a semantic depiction of hearing to a phonetic loan that incorporated a mouth-related element.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我在音乐。

Wǒ zài tīng yīnyuè.

I am listening to music.

她喜欢广播。

Tā xǐhuān tīng guǎngbō.

She likes to listen to the radio.

我们老师讲课。

Wǒmen tīng lǎoshī jiǎngkè.

We listen to the teacher's lecture.

过这首歌吗?

Nǐ tīngguò zhè shǒu gē ma?

Have you heard this song?

请仔细我的建议。

Qǐng zǐxì tīng wǒ de jiànyì.

Please listen carefully to my advice.

完新闻后,我明白了。

Tīng wán xīnwén hòu, wǒ míngbái le.

After listening to the news, I understood.

如果你认真,就能学会。

Rúguǒ nǐ rènzhēn tīng, jiù néng xuéhuì.

If you listen carefully, you can learn.

说明天开会,但还没确认。

Tīngshuō míngtiān kāihuì, dàn hái méi quèrèn.

It is said that the meeting is tomorrow, but it hasn't been confirmed yet.