耳
みみ
hepburn mimi
ear
Part of speech · noun
Pattern visualization
Examples
- 耳が聞こえません。I can't hear.
- 猫の耳は小さいです。A cat's ears are small.
Collocations
耳が聞こえない (can't hear)耳が痛い (earache)耳に入る (mimi ni hairu, hear something)耳鼻科 (jibika, ENT clinic)耳元 (mimimoto, by the ear)
Mnemonic
耳 mimi — repeated mora. Body part + auditory metaphor. 耳に入る ("enters the ear") = "to hear of, get wind of". 耳が早い ("ear is quick") = "to hear news fast". Onyomi じ (ji): 耳鼻科 jibika (ENT — ear-nose). The kanji 耳 visually depicts an ear.
Quick check
"I got wind of a rumor" — Japanese idiom?