聞く (きく) — to hear, to listen, to ask
聞く
to hear
Frequency #200
Frequency rank among common Japanese words. Lower number = more common.
Grade 2
2 characters
godan verb (-ku)
transitive
action
kiku
きく
Pitch高低アクセント — Tokyo-dialect pitch accent. The number is the drop position: 0 = heiban (no drop), 1 = atamadaka (drops after 1st mora), N = drops after Nth mora. The line above each mora marks high pitch; below, low.
きく[0] heiban 平板
Synth audio is approximate — the diagram is the canonical reference.
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Meanings
- to hear
- to listen
- to ask
Explained in simple Japanese
- 耳で 音や 話を うけとる。
- しらない ことを 人に しつもんする。
Easy Japanese for learners, with furigana. AI-generated.
Usage examples
-
困っている人の話も聞きます。
Komatte iru hito no hanashi mo kikimasu.
Also listen to the people who are having difficulties.
小さく直して、大きく変える — トヨタの考え方 · MojiMori(AIオリジナル) · 第1章 仕事をよく見る
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Verb forms
| Meaning | Plain | Polite |
|---|---|---|
| Present |
聞く きく |
聞きます ききます |
| Present negative |
聞かない きかない |
聞きません ききません |
| Past |
聞いた きいた |
聞きました ききました |
| Past negative |
聞かなかった きかなかった |
聞きませんでした ききませんでした |
| Te-form |
聞いて きいて |
聞きまして ききまして |
| Potential |
聞ける きける |
聞けます きけます |
| Potential negative |
聞けない きけない |
聞けません きけません |
Kanji UsedColors show the reading used in this word: blue = on’yomi (Chinese-derived), green = kun’yomi (native Japanese), purple = nanori (name readings), amber = jukujikun (whole-word readings). Uncolored tiles have no identified reading type.
Related Words
Grammar Points
Grammar patterns commonly used with 聞く.
Sharing same tag — action
Kanji
Words
- 行く to go auxiliary verb godan verb (iku/yuku) intransitive
- 来る to come auxiliary verb intransitive kuru verb (irregular)
- 行く to go godan verb (iku/yuku) intransitive
- 書く to write godan verb (-ku) transitive
- 読む to read godan verb (-mu) transitive
- 見る to see auxiliary verb ichidan verb transitive
- 食べる to eat ichidan verb transitive
- 飲む to drink godan verb (-mu) transitive
- 歩く to walk godan verb (-ku) intransitive
- 走る to run godan verb (-ru) intransitive