聰 (cōng) - Intelligent, clever, sharp hearing & having acute mental faculties and good auditory perception.

聰Tone 1

cōng ｜ 17 strokes ｜ radical:

橙丁

聰 · cōng

Intelligent, clever, sharp hearing;

having acute mental faculties and good auditory perception.

Intelligent, clever, sharp hearinghaving acute mental faculties and good auditory perception.

Usage highlights

IntelligentWisdom and intelligenceQuickAcute hearingIntelligent and discerningIntelligent and understanding

Synonyms

  • 智— wisdom, knowledge
  • 慧— intelligent, wise
  • 明— bright, clear

Antonyms

  • 笨— stupid, foolish
  • 愚— foolish, stupid
  • 傻— silly, foolish

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He is a very intelligent child (聪明的孩子).
  • She has sharp hearing (耳聪).
  • The teacher praised his quick-wittedness (聪颖).
  • This requires wisdom and intelligence (聪慧).

Collocations

  • Intelligent(聪明)
  • Wisdom and intelligence(聪慧)
  • Quick-witted(聪颖)
  • Acute hearing(耳聪)
  • Intelligent and discerning(聪敏)
  • Intelligent and understanding(聪悟)

Idioms

  • Intelligent and quick-witted(聪明伶俐)
  • Extremely bright and intelligent(冰雪聪明)
  • Pretending to be clever(自作聪明)
  • Eyes sharp and ears keen(耳聪目明)
  • Right and left are both clear(左右采获)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character 聪 combines 耳 (ear) and 总 (total/gather), suggesting comprehensive auditory perception leading to intelligence.
  • In traditional Chinese thought, sharp hearing was associated with quick understanding and mental acuity.
  • Confucian texts often mention the importance of being 'bright' and 'clear' in perception for moral development.

FAQ