聞 — JLPT N5 Kanji

聞 (bun/mon/ki-ku): hear. JLPT N5 kanji.

Character Info

Kanji Strokes JLPT Radical Radical Meaning
14 N5 ear

Readings

Type Reading Romaji Notes
On (音) ブン/モン bun/mon Chinese-origin (音読み)
Kun (訓) き-く/き-こえる ki-ku/ki-koeru to hear; to listen; to ask

Meanings

  1. hear
  2. listen
  3. ask

Vocabulary

Word Reading Romaji English JLPT
聞く きく kiku to listen / hear / ask N5
聞こえる きこえる kikoeru to be audible N5
新聞 しんぶん shinbun newspaper N5
聞き手 ききて kikite listener N4
見聞き みきき mikiki seeing and hearing N3

Stroke Order

Outer: 門 (gate, 8 strokes). Inner: 耳 (ear, 6 strokes).

Mnemonic

An ear (耳) inside the gate (門) — listening through the gate, straining to hear.

Common Mistakes

聞 (hear) vs 間 (between/time) — 聞 has 耳 (ear) inside; 間 has 日 (sun) inside.