About
The character "聊" is composed of the semantic component 耳 (ear) and the phonetic component 卯, a structure that hints at its original meaning related to hearing. Its earliest sense was "to rely upon" or "to depend on", a meaning preserved in the classical expression 无聊, which described a state of having nothing to rely on for support or solace, later evolving to signify boredom. Over time, the primary function of the character shifted to denote casual conversation or chat, an activity fundamentally dependent on listening with the ear, thus creating a logical, if indirect, connection between its structure and its dominant modern usage. This verbal sense, as in 聊天, eventually became the character's most common application, while its older meaning of dependence receded into limited idiomatic use.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我们来聊聊这件事。
他喜欢和朋友聊天。
我们昨晚聊了很久。
她正在网上聊得开心。
无聊的时候我会看看书。
他们聊到了未来的计划。
这次谈话聊出了新的思路。
聊起童年往事，他感慨万分。