Definition
闻 (wén) has two main meanings: 'to smell' (everyday, as in smelling food) and 'to hear' (literary/formal, as in hearing news). For 'to hear', it is more formal than 听见 (tīng jiàn, everyday 'to hear') and less specific than 听取 (tīng qǔ, 'to listen to' reports/opinions formally).
verb
to smellto hear (literary/formal)
Easily confused
- 问wènlook-aliketo ask
- 吻wěnsound-alike(verb) to kiss
- 间jiānlook-alike(classifier) for rooms, offices, and other enclosed spaces
- 文wénsound-alikewritten language; writing; script
- 闲xiánlook-alikefree (not busy), idle, unoccupied
- 稳wěnsound-alike(adjective) steady, stable, firm
- 闪shǎnlook-aliketo dodge, to duck out of the way
- 闷mènlook-alike(adjective) bored, depressed, melancholy
Examples
- 闻。Nǐ wén yíxià zhège cài de wèidào.Smell the flavor of this dish.
- 。Wǒ wén dào le kāfēi de xiāngwèi.I smelled the aroma of coffee.
- 闻，。Wǒ wén cǐ yán, fēicháng gǎndòng.I heard these words and was very moved.
Browse more HSK 4 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.