耳 (ěr): ear

Meanings

1 ear

Examples

他的耳朵很大。

Tā de ěrduo hěn dà.

His ears are very big.

耳机在哪儿？

Ěrjī zài nǎr?

Where are the earphones?

Tips

memory

耳 is a radical in many hearing-related characters: 聪 (clever), 闻 (to hear).

usage

耳朵 (ear), 耳机 (earphones), 耳环 (earring).

Components

pictograph

耳 ěr

ear

Self-component. Pictograph of the human ear seen from the side — outer rim drawn as the vertical strokes, the two inner horizontals are the cartilage folds and earlobe. Already this stylized in oracle bones. As Kangxi radical #128 it heads the hearing family: 听 listen, 聋 deaf, 聪 sharp-eared, 联 to link.

Radical

Ear Kangxi #128

Productive radical for hearing, listening, and ear-shaped objects. Reliable meaning clue: 聋 (deaf), 聊 (chat), 联 (connect), 聘 (engage / hire), 聪 (clever-eared), 职 (post / duty), 聚 (gather), 聋, 听 (听 in traditional 聽 — 'ear stretched toward virtue'). Important not to confuse with the unrelated left-side 阝 ear-mound shape.