逆耳

nì'ěr
adjective #46,573

Meanings

  1. 1 grating on the ear
  2. 2 unpleasant to hear

Examples

HSK 2
Tā de huà suīrán nì'ěr, dàn shuō de hěn duì.
What he says is hard to hear, but he is quite right.
HSK 5
Hǎo de lǐngdǎo yuànyi tīng nì'ěr de yìjian.
A good leader is willing to listen to unwelcome opinions.

Tips

usage
Mostly heard in the saying 忠言逆耳 ‘honest advice grates on the ear’, often followed by 良药苦口利于病 ‘good medicine tastes bitter but cures illness’. The opposite is 顺耳 ‘pleasing to the ear’.

Stroke Order

逆 nì
耳 ěr