Ear meanings in Japanese

耳 (みみ, mimi)

Example:

I can hear the music with my ear.

耳で音楽を聞くことができます。

She has a piercing in her ear.

彼女は耳にピアスをしています。

Usage: formal/informalContext: Used in everyday conversation, medical contexts, and when discussing hearing.

Note: 耳 (mimi) is the most common translation for 'ear', referring to the organ used for hearing.

耳 (みみ, mimi) - as in listening or paying attention

Example:

Please lend me your ear.

私に耳を貸してください。

He is all ears when it comes to new ideas.

新しいアイデアについては、彼は耳を傾けています。

Usage: informalContext: Used in expressions to indicate attentiveness or willingness to listen.

Note: In this context, 耳 (mimi) implies not just the physical ear but also the act of listening.

耳 (みみ) - as part of idiomatic expressions

Example:

He has an ear for music.

彼は音楽の耳を持っています。

She has a good ear for languages.

彼女は言語の耳が良いです。

Usage: formal/informalContext: Used to describe someone's ability to discern or appreciate sound.

Note: This meaning reflects a metaphorical use of 'ear', indicating skill or talent in understanding or interpreting sound.

耳 (みみ) - as in the ear of corn

Example:

I bought a dozen ears of corn.

とうもろこしを一ダース買いました。

The farmer harvested the ears of corn.

農夫はとうもろこしの耳を収穫しました。

Usage: formal/informalContext: Used in agricultural contexts when discussing corn or similar crops.

Note: The term for 'ear' in this context is still 耳 (mimi), but it specifically refers to the part of the corn plant.

auricle

The auricle refers specifically to the external part of the ear that is visible on the side of the head. It is also known as the pinna.

Example: The auricle is the visible part of the ear that collects sound waves.

Note: The term 'auricle' is more anatomically specific than 'ear,' focusing on the external part of the ear.

auditory organ

The auditory organ encompasses the structures involved in hearing and balance, including the inner ear, cochlea, and auditory nerve.

Example: The auditory organ is responsible for hearing and balance.

Note: This term is more technical and encompasses a broader range of structures involved in hearing compared to just the term 'ear.'

hearing organ

The hearing organ is the part of the body responsible for detecting and processing sound waves.

Example: The hearing organ is sensitive to different frequencies of sound.

Note: This term emphasizes the function of the ear in hearing, distinguishing it from other sensory organs.

Turn a deaf ear

To ignore or refuse to listen to something or someone.

Example: When she asked for help, he turned a deaf ear to her pleas.

Note: This idiom uses 'ear' in a metaphorical sense, as it does not refer to physical hearing but rather to paying attention or responding.

Play it by ear

To handle a situation without a definite plan, deciding what to do as the situation develops.

Example: I'm not sure what time we'll leave; let's just play it by ear.

Note: In this context, 'ear' refers to listening and reacting based on the circumstances, rather than following a predetermined course.

All ears

Eager and ready to listen or hear about something.

Example: Tell me about your trip - I'm all ears!

Note: This phrase uses 'ears' to signify full attention or interest in listening.

Bend someone's ear

To talk to someone for a long time, usually about something that the listener finds annoying or boring.

Example: She bent my ear for hours about her relationship problems.

Note: 'Ear' here refers to the act of listening, with the implication of enduring a lengthy or tedious conversation.

In one ear and out the other

When something is quickly forgotten or not paid attention to.

Example: I told him to clean his room, but it went in one ear and out the other.

Note: This idiom relates to information entering and leaving the mind without being retained, using 'ear' as a metaphor for short-term memory.

Lend an ear

To listen to someone attentively and sympathetically.

Example: She needed to talk, so I lent her my ear and listened to her problems.

Note: In this case, 'ear' is used to represent the act of listening with understanding and care.

Keep an ear to the ground

To stay informed and attentive to what is happening in a particular situation or environment.

Example: I'll keep an ear to the ground for any news about the job opening.

Note: Here, 'ear' signifies being alert and receptive to information or developments in a specific context.

Lug

Lug is used colloquially to refer to the ear, especially in British English slang.

Example: I got a new piercing in my lug.

Note: Lug is a slang term specifically for ears, while 'ear' can have broader contexts.

Can

In informal usage, 'can' can refer to ear, especially in Scottish slang.

Example: He's got a good ear for music.

Note: Can is a regional slang term for ear, deviating from the standard term 'ear'.

Listener

A more formal way of referring to someone's 'ear' when discussing their ability to listen.

Example: She's a good listener, always willing to hear you out.

Note: Listener is a more formal term compared to the slang 'ear'.

Shell-like

Derived from 'shell-like ear', used as a playful or rhyming slang term for ears.

Example: His shell-likes turn red when he's embarrassed.

Note: Shell-like is a playful or creative way of referring to ears in informal speech.

Hearing hole

A humorous or slangy way to refer to one's ears, emphasizing their function for hearing.

Example: Could you speak up? My hearing holes aren't what they used to be.

Note: Hearing hole is a colloquial term specific to the ears, with an emphasis on their role in hearing.

Curly Wurly

Curly Wurly is a British slang term for the ear, often used in a light-hearted or affectionate manner.

Example: He whispered a secret in her Curly Wurly.

Note: Curly Wurly is a slang term specifically for ears, likely derived from a playful association with the shape of the ear.

Sound catcher

A whimsical or imaginative way to refer to the ears as devices that capture sound.

Example: Our little dog's ears are like sound catchers: she hears everything!

Note: Sound catcher is a creative slang term emphasizing the function of ears in a poetic or fanciful way.

The sound entered through my ear.

She wore earplugs to protect her ears from the loud music.

The doctor examined his ears and found an infection.

Ear - Noun (Noun) / Noun, singular or mass (Noun, singular or mass)

Lemma: ear

Conjugations

Noun, plural (Noun, plural): ears

Noun, singular or mass (Noun, singular or mass): ear

Verb, past tense (Verb, past tense): eared

Verb, gerund or present participle (Verb, gerund or present participle): earing

Verb, 3rd person singular present (Verb, 3rd person singular present): ears

Verb, base form (Verb, base form): ear

Verb, non-3rd person singular present (Verb, non-3rd person singular present): ear

Syllables, Separation and Stress

ear Contains 1 syllables: ear

Phonetic transcription: ˈir

ear , ˈir (The red syllable is stressed)

The word frequency and importance index indicates how often a word appears in a given language. The smaller the number, the more frequently the word is used. The most frequently used words typically range from about 1 to 4000.

ear: ~ 1600 (Very common).

This importance index helps you focus on the most useful words during your language learning process.

Ear