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闻到 (wén dào) — to smell (and perceive), to get a whiff of

Definition

A verb-object phrase meaning to actually perceive a smell — not just to sniff, but to catch an odor. Used with 味/香味/臭 etc. Compare 闻 (just 'to smell/sniff').

verb
to smell (and perceive)to get a whiff of

Examples

  • 闻到。
    Wǒ wén dào le huā xiāng.
    I smelled the fragrance of flowers.
  • 闻到？
    Nǐ wén dào shén me wèi dào le ma?
    Did you smell any odor?
  • 闻到。
    Tā wén dào le fàn cài de xiāng wèi.
    He smelled the aroma of the food.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

闻wénsmell
到dàoreach/attain

The action 闻 and the attainment 到 together mean perceive by smelling.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 聞; 闻 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
耳耳ěrear
Sound part声符shēngfú
門
門mén聞wén
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 聞, 門 supplies the sound and 耳 is an ear; this explanation is about 聞, not the simplified 闻.

Open 闻 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
至至zhìto arrive
Sound part声符shēngfú
刀
刀dāo到dào
Same sound today

到 combines 至, meaning 'to arrive', with 刀 as the sound part. The 至 part points to the idea of reaching a stopping point.

Open 到 →
Appears in
Senses

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