聞

聞 U+805E, 聞 ← 聝[U+805D] CJK Unified Ideographs 聟 →[U+805F] Japanese 聞 Simplified 闻 Traditional 聞 Stroke order Stroke order (Japan)

This character has a slight difference between Chinese and Japanese forms.

• In Chinese: 聞
• in Japanese: 聞
• in Korean: 聞

聞 (Kangxi radical 128, 耳+8, 14 strokes, cangjie input 日弓尸十 (ANSJ), four-corner 77401, composition ⿵門耳)

• 𭏾, 𡣟, 𤀳, 𦘁, 𨷝, 𬚩

• 闻 (Simplified Chinese)

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 968, character 11
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 29104
• Dae Jaweon: page 1418, character 9
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 7, page 4294, character 12
• Unihan data for U+805E

trad. 聞 simp. 闻 alternative forms 𦔵

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *mɯn, *mɯns): phonetic 門 (OC *mɯːn) + semantic 耳 (“ear”). Compare 問 (OC *mɯns).

Schuessler derives this from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *mnəm (“to smell”), whence Tibetan མནམ་པ (mnam pa, “to smell of”), Tibetan སྣོམ་པ (snom pa, “to smell”), Jingpho manam (mə³¹ nam⁵⁵, “smell”), Burmese နမ် (nam, “to smell”), Burmese နံ (nam, “to stink”) (Schuessler, 2007). It is very phonetically difficult, requiring an inversion of n and m in Chinese (which Schuessler attributes to labial dissimilation or prefix-preemption) in addition to rejecting the Baxter-Sagart reconstruction with a *u in favour of reconstructing *ə instead (*u and *ə are difficult to distinguish before *-n). The reconstruction with *u is solidified by rhyming patterns in the Classic of Poetry, making Schuessler’s etymology impossible.

In almost all major Tibeto-Burman languages, this etymon means only “to smell”. Schuessler explains the application of “to hear” in Chinese via various influences. He sees a parallel in Tibeto-Burman *na “ear ~ nose” and hence perhaps in Sino-Tibetan (see *r/g-na (“ear”)). The Chinese stem may have converged with a Mon-Khmer etymon (cf. Proto-Monic *smaaɲ (“to inquire”) (ibid.). Schuessler also notes Tibetan མཉན་པ (mnyan pa, “to listen to; to hear”), which he deems phonologically quite close to Chinese.

Pronunciation 2 (“be heard about; renowned; fame”) is a derivation of pronunciation 1, with passive suffix *-s (ibid.).

問 (OC *mɯns, “to ask”) is the exoactive derivation of pronunciation 1 with suffix *-s, literally “let (me) hear” (ibid.).

聞

1. (literary or Jiangyong Tuhua) to hear; to listen 百聞不如一見／百闻不如一见 ― bǎi wén bùrú yī jiàn ― seeing is believing (literally, “hearing something one hundred times is not as good as seeing it once”)
   • 吾見其人矣，吾聞其語矣。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]吾见其人矣，吾闻其语矣。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge’s versionWú jiàn qí rén yǐ, wú wén qí yǔ yǐ. [Pinyin]I have seen such men, as I have heard such words.
   • 不聞機杼聲，惟聞女嘆息。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]不闻机杼声，惟闻女叹息。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]From: 《木蘭詩》 (Ballad of Mulan)Bù wén jīzhù shēng, wéi wén nǚ tànxī. [Pinyin]The loom’s sound could not be heard over the girl’s sighs.
   • 聞得妹你話死咯，我實在見悲傷。 [Cantonese, trad.]闻得妹你话死咯，我实在见悲伤。 [Cantonese, simp.]man4 dak1 mui6-2 nei5 waa6 si2 lo3, ngo5 sat6 zoi6 gin3 bei1 soeng1. [Jyutping](please add an English translation of this quotation)
2. to smell; to detect; to get a sniff at 聞味道／闻味道 ― wén wèidào ― to smell the scent 我乜嘢都聞唔到嘅？ [Cantonese, trad.]我乜嘢都闻唔到嘅？ [Cantonese, simp.]ngo5 mat1 je5 dou1 man4 m4 dou3 ge2? [Jyutping]Why don’t I smell anything?
   • 共王駕而自往，入其幄中，聞酒臭而還。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]共王驾而自往，入其幄中，闻酒臭而还。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]From: Han Feizi, circa 2nd century BCEGòng Wáng jià ér zì wǎng, rù qí wò zhōng, wén jiǔ chòu ér huán. [Pinyin]Thereupon King Kung rode in a carriage and went to make a personal call. As soon as he entered the tent of the Commissioner, he smelt wine and turned back right away.
3. (literary) to spread; to transmit
4. (literary) to be famous
   • 在邦必聞，在家必聞。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]在邦必闻，在家必闻。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge’s versionZài bāng bì wén, zài jiā bì wén. [Pinyin]It is to be heard of through the state, to be heard of throughout his clan.”
   • 廉頗為趙將伐齊，大破之，取晉陽，拜為上卿，以勇氣聞於諸侯。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]廉颇为赵将伐齐，大破之，取晋阳，拜为上卿，以勇气闻于诸侯。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCELián Pō wéi Zhào jiāng fá Qí, dà pò zhī, qǔ Jìnyáng, bài wéi shàngqīng, yǐ yǒngqì wén yú zhūhóu. [Pinyin](please add an English translation of this quotation)
5. knowledge; expertise
   • 友直，友諒，友多聞，益矣。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]友直，友谅，友多闻，益矣。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge’s versionYǒu zhí, yǒu liàng, yǒu duō wén, yì yǐ. [Pinyin]Friendship with the uplight; friendship with the sincere; and friendship with the man of much observation – these are advantageous.
6. news; message 新聞／新闻 ― xīnwén ― news 奇聞／奇闻 ― qíwén ― thrilling or fantastic story
7. a surname 聞一多／闻一多 ― Wén Yīduō ― Wen Yiduo (Chinese poet)

聞

1. (literary) reputation; renown; prestige
2. (literary) famous; renowned

(Second grade kyōiku kanji)

1. to hear
2. to ask

• Go-on: もん (mon, Jōyō)
• Kan-on: ぶん (bun, Jōyō)
• Kun: きく (kiku, 聞く, Jōyō)、きこえる (kikoeru, 聞こえる, Jōyō)、きこえ (kikoe)

Kanji in this term 聞 ぶんGrade: 2 kan’on

From Middle Chinese 聞 (MC mjun|mjunH).

• IPA(key): [bɯ̟̃ɴ]

聞(ぶん) • (bun)

1. the act of hearing something

聞 (eumhun 들을 문 (deureul mun))

1. hanja form? of 문 (“hear”)

• 소문 (所聞, somun, “rumor”)
• 신문 (新聞, sinmun, “newspaper”)

聞: Hán Nôm readings: văn, vẳn

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.