Definitions

wén (verb) to hear; to listen
wén (verb) to smell; to sniff
wén (noun) news; information
wén (adjective) well-known; famous

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Simplified form of .

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "闻" derives from its traditional form "聞", which is structured with the component "耳" meaning ear and "門" meaning door, indicating an initial association with auditory perception. Historically, this character represented the act of hearing, but in classical Chinese texts, it was also employed to denote the act of smelling. Over time, its primary meaning shifted from auditory to olfactory sense in modern usage, though it retains auditory connotations in compound words like "新闻" for news. The simplified form "闻" maintains the "耳" component while replacing "門" with the simplified radical "门", thus altering the graphical form but preserving the core structural relationship to its original meaning.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
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 Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical 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)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

很有趣。

Xīnwén hěn yǒuqù.

News is very interesting.

到花香。

Wǒ wén dào huā xiāng.

I smell the flower fragrance.

过这种味道吗?

Nǐ wén guò zhè zhǒng wèidào ma?

Have you smelled this kind of smell?

名于全国。

Tā wén míng yú quánguó.

He is famous nationwide.

我每天看新

Wǒ měi tiān kàn xīnwén.

I watch news every day.

到怪味,他检查了厨房。

Wén dào guài wèi, tā jiǎnchá le chúfáng.

Smelling a strange smell, he checked the kitchen.

报导了这次重要事件。

Xīnwén bàodǎo le zhè cì zhòngyào shìjiàn.

The news reported this important event.

从未过如此美妙的气味。

Cóng wèi wén guò rúcǐ měimiào de qìwèi.

Never have I smelled such a wonderful smell.