聞
hear · ask · listen
Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of '門' (gate) and '耳' (ear). Listening through gate crack.
Symbolism
Hearing, information, rumor. 'Listening' can be honorific in Japanese.
Related Culture & Scenes
- — Lending an ear
Component Breakdown
surround from above: gate + ear
Words & Expressions
Words written with 聞
Four-Character Compounds
前代未聞
ぜんだいみもん
unheard-of; unprecedented; unparalleled in history (unparallelled)
如是我聞
にょぜがもん
thus I hear (quote from the sutras); these ears have heard
博聞強記
はくぶんきょうき
being widely read and having a highly retentive memory
異聞奇譚
いぶんきたん
strange stories and curious tales
浅学寡聞
せんがくかぶん
shallow learning and limited information; being ignorant and badly informed
Poetry
奥山に もみぢ踏み分け 鳴く鹿の 声聞く時ぞ 秋は悲しき
Deep in the hills a stag treads through fallen maple leaves and cries. Hearing it, autumn is saddest of all.
立ち別れ いなばの山の 峰に生ふる まつとし聞かば 今帰り来む
Though I leave for Mount Inaba, if I hear that you are waiting, like the pines on its peak, I will come straight back.
滝の音は 絶えて久しく なりぬれど 名こそ流れて なほ聞こえけれ
The sound of the waterfall ceased long ago, yet its name flows on and is heard to this day.
Anime & Manga
響け！ユーフォニアム
Sound! Euphonium
Youth of a concert band pursuing beautiful music to 'hear.'
多聞くん今どっち！？
Tamon's B-Side
A well-known work with 聞 in its Japanese title.
パパのいうことを聞きなさい！
Listen to Me, Girls. I Am Your Father!
A well-known work with 聞 in its Japanese title.
フツーに聞いてくれ
Just Listen to the Song
A well-known work with 聞 in its Japanese title.
カワイイなんて聞いてない!!
You're My Cutie!!
A well-known work with 聞 in its Japanese title.
Games
うみねこのなく頃に
Umineko When They Cry(2007)
Developer: 07th Expansion
Mystery 'hearing' the story from multiple perspectives.
View on Amazon →Other kanji with the same meaning
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 聞 mean in Japanese?
聞 means hear, ask, listen.
How do you read 聞?
On'yomi: ブン、モン (BUN, MON). Kun'yomi: き.く、き.こえる (kiku, kikoeru).
How many strokes does 聞 have?
聞 has 14 strokes. Its radical is 耳 (ear).
Is 聞 a good kanji for a tattoo?
聞 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means hear, ask, listen. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.