聞 Meaning, Reading, and Vocabulary Guide | Onyomi ブン, Kunyomi き.く
聞 is an essential JLPT N5 kanji that means 'to hear' or 'to ask'.
Its onyomi are ブン (bun) and モン (mon), and its kunyomi are きく (kiku) and きこえる (kikoeru).
It is used in very common everyday basic words such as 新聞 (newspaper) and 聞く (to hear).
Kanji at a glance
Core meaning / core image
聞 has two core meanings: 'to hear' sounds through the ear, and 'to ask' someone a question. It originates from the image of pressing one's ear against a gate to listen to the sounds coming from the other side.
Kanji structure breakdown
Mnemonic story
Imagine pressing your ear (耳) against a gate (門) to check the sounds coming from outside. This evolved into the meaning of quietly listening to sounds from beyond the door.
On'yomi and kun'yomi
On reading
Kun reading
Commonly used words
Example sentences
Mini quiz
Which of the following is the correct kunyomi (Japanese reading) for the kanji '聞'?
One-line summary
聞 represents 'listening' by pressing an ear (耳) to a gate (門). It is a core kanji frequently used in daily life for hearing (聞く), asking (聞く), and reading the newspaper (新聞).
FAQ
What is the difference between 聞く (kiku) and 聴く (kiku)?
聞く is generally used when sound naturally enters your ears or for general listening (e.g., hearing a rumor, listening to music). On the other hand, 聴く is used when you are paying close attention and listening carefully (e.g., listening to a lecture, appreciating classical music).
Does 聞く also mean 'to ask (a question)'?
Yes, that's right. In Japanese, besides 'to hear', 聞く is very frequently used in daily life to mean 'to ask' someone for information. You can interpret it naturally based on the context.
