Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "聞く" vs "ひく"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
聞く
きく (kiku)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
ひく
ひく (hiku)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both 聞く and ひく are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
聞く (きく (kiku)) represents "to listen, to hear, to ask" (Level: N5) and typically represents Can mean both to listen/hear sound and to ask a question. Polite form is 聞きます.
On the other hand, ひく (ひく (hiku)) translates to "to pull; to play (string instrument/piano); to draw (a line)" (Level: N5) and is used for Has multiple meanings depending on context: 'to pull'. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "聞く"
音楽を聞きます。
I listen to music.
Bilingual Sentence for "ひく"
ドアを引いてください。
Please pull the door.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "音楽を聞きます。" (Meaning: "I listen to music.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "聞く" fits here because it represents "to listen, to hear, to ask" in the context: "I listen to music.".