难听 nán tīng
“unpleasant to hear; coarse; vulgar”
adjective, verb2021 list level 2Traditional 難聽
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
难听 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 782: 难听 nántīng — Level 3; official annotation 3 (形). PDF page 99
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 难听
Adjective meaning 'unpleasant to hear' — bad singing, harsh noises, or rude and offensive words. It is about sound or wording only, never about taste or smell. Common patterns: 唱得很难听、话说得很难听、难听的声音.
例句Example sentences
- 他唱歌很难听，但是特别喜欢唱。tā chàng gē hěn nán tīng, dàn shì tè bié xǐ huan chàng.He sings terribly, but he really loves singing.
- 你说的话太难听了，快去跟她道歉。nǐ shuō de huà tài nán tīng le, kuài qù gēn tā dào qiàn.What you said was really offensive — go and apologize to her.
- 早上外面传来一阵难听的声音。zǎo shàng wài miàn chuán lái yí zhèn nán tīng de shēng yīn.In the morning a harsh noise came from outside.
常见错误Common mistakes
-
✗这个菜很难听。
✓这个菜很难吃。
难听 describes sound; bad taste is 难吃 and bad smell is 难闻.
易混词Easily confused
难听vs难闻
难闻 means 'smells bad' (难闻的味道). 难听 is only for sounds and offensive speech.