Hearing
Idioms, Stage 1chunk 14 of 21Talking & listening
The mimi idioms for hearing about something and for listening.
- mimi ni suruhear (about), come acrossliterally “bring it to one's ear”
- mimi o kasuheed, give someone a hearing (mostly 'won't listen'); lean in so I can whisperliterally “lend an ear”
- mimi ni hairureach someone's ears, get word ofliterally “enter the ear”
- komimi ni hasamuhappen to hear, catch wind ofliterally “pinch it in the ear, just a little (ko-: slightly)”
Mix-ups mimi ni suru (you hear it) vs mimi ni hairu (word reaches you) vs komimi ni hasamu (you catch it in passing); mimi o kasu is listening, and is mostly said in the negative.
mimi ni suru
polite mimi ni shimasu
“bring it to one's ear”
hear (about), come across
A slightly more formal way to say you hear a word, name or rumour in passing: saikin yoku mimi ni suru (you hear it a lot lately), hajimete mimi ni shita (first I've heard of it). It's hearing by chance, not listening on purpose (that's kiku); news reaching you is mimi ni hairu.
Plain alternative: kiku (sono hanashi kiita).
sono hanashi, saikin yoku mimi ni suru yo ne.
You hear about that a lot lately, don't you?
その話、最近よく耳にするよね。
sono hanashi, saikin yoku mimi ni shimasu ne.
You hear about that a lot these days.
その話、最近よく耳にしますね。
Written 耳にする · みみにするHeard 131× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside mimi o kasu, mimi ni hairu, komimi ni hasamuMain list suru (Stage 1), yoku (Stage 2), saikin (Stage 3)
mimi o kasu
polite mimi o kashimasu
“lend an ear”
heed, give someone a hearing (mostly 'won't listen'); lean in so I can whisper
In English: lend an ear
Mostly negative, about ignoring advice or pleas: dare no iu koto ni mo mimi o kasanai (won't listen to anyone), ano hito no hanashi ni mimi o kasu na (don't listen to him). In casual talk, chotto mimi kashite means 'come here, let me whisper something'. Ordinary 'listen' is still kiku.
chotto mimi kashite.
Come here, let me whisper something.
ちょっと耳貸して。
buchou, sukoshi wa genba no koe ni mo mimi o kashite kudasai.
Please listen to the people on the ground for once.
部長、少しは現場の声にも耳を貸してください。
Written 耳を貸す · みみをかすHeard 109× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside mimi ni suru, mimi ni hairu, komimi ni hasamuMain list kasu (Stage 2), -te (Stage 2), chotto (Stage 1)
mimi ni hairu
polite mimi ni hairimasu
“enter the ear”
reach someone's ears, get word of
In English: get back to someone
News or a rumour reaching someone, often someone it shouldn't: buchou no mimi ni haittara yabai (if this gets back to the boss, we're in trouble). Unlike mimi ni suru, the news is the subject; you just end up knowing. In the negative it can also mean you can't take in what's said: hanashi ga zenzen mimi ni haitte konai (I can't take in a word).
At work, the transitive form tells a superior something: omimi ni irete okitai koto ga arimasu (there's something I'd like you to know).
sono uwasa, mou mimi ni haitteru yo.
That rumour's already reached me.
その噂、もう耳に入ってるよ。
sono ken wa mou buchou no mimi ni haitte imasu.
The manager has already heard about that.
その件はもう部長の耳に入っています。
Written 耳に入る · みみにはいるHeard 49× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside mimi ni suru, mimi o kasu, komimi ni hasamuMain list hairu (Stage 1), mou (Stage 1), -teru (Stage 1)
komimi ni hasamu
polite komimi ni hasamimashita
“pinch it in the ear, just a little (ko-: slightly)”
happen to hear, catch wind of
In English: catch wind of
Almost always in the past as a gossip opener: komimi ni hasanda n da kedo... (I happened to hear that...). It signals you heard it in passing and aren't sure it's true, which is softer than saying who told you.
komimi ni hasanda n da kedo, tanaka-san yameru no?
I happened to hear something. Is Tanaka quitting?
小耳に挟んだんだけど、田中さん辞めるの？
komimi ni hasanda n desu kedo, tanaka-san ga yameru tte hontou desu ka?
I happened to hear something. Is it true Tanaka is leaving?
小耳に挟んだんですけど、田中さんが辞めるって本当ですか？
Written 小耳に挟む · こみみにはさむHeard 22× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside mimi ni suru, mimi o kasu, mimi ni hairuMain list n da kedo (Stage 1), -ta (Stage 1), -san (Stage 1), yameru (Stage 4), -tte (Stage 2)