teng1聽听
Jyutpingteng1
Yaletēng
Definition
To listen or hear.
Example
colloquialdaily actionsbody
How it's used
Distinguish between the act of listening and the ability to hear by using 聽到 for the latter. When you want to express that someone is obedient or follows instructions, use 聽話 instead. It is common to drop the object when the context is clear, such as simply saying 聽緊 which means listening right now.
Examples
I really like listening to him sing.
Related words
Common phrases
to answer the phone
to hear that / it is said that
Common mistake
Learners often confuse 聽 with 睇, which means to look or watch. While 聽 is for auditory input, 睇 is used for visual input like reading or watching television.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
