闻所未闻

聞所未聞

wénsuǒwèiwén

idiom #22,365

Meanings

1 unheard of
2 unprecedented
3 never heard of before

Characters

to hear / to smell

that which / what

not yet / never

to hear / heard

Examples

这种治疗方法在当时是闻所未闻的。

Zhè zhǒng zhìliáo fāngfǎ zài dāngshí shì wén suǒ wèi wén de.

This treatment method was unheard of at the time.

他讲述了一段闻所未闻的奇异经历。

Tā jiǎngshùle yī duàn wén suǒ wèi wén de qíyì jīnglì.

He recounted a truly unprecedented and bizarre experience.

这个消息令人震惊，真是闻所未闻。

Zhège xiāoxi lìng rén zhènjīng, zhēn shì wén suǒ wèi wén.

This news is shocking — truly unheard of.

Tips

memory

Literally: 'heard (闻) [what] has not (未) been heard (闻)' — what has been heard (所闻) has never (未) been heard (闻) before. The repeated 闻 character is the key: heard + never heard.

Stroke Order

闻 wén

所 suǒ

未 wèi