Face Off

What is the meaning of listening? Let us compare the traditional and simplified version of writing the chinese word "listen"



聽 vs 听


Traditional vs Simplified

Treat the speaker like the king .

How do you achieve that?


By using your one heart to listen,
giving the speaker your full concentration.


By using your ears to listen out for the tone thereby the mood.


By using your eyes to give your full attention
and to look out for the feelings of the speaker.












Now let us look at the simplified version.

You listen by using your mouth?

Hmm...does that mean you judge and speak before the speaker
has a chance to finish speaking?



The word 斤 is also used in 斤斤计较
literally meaning you haggle over every kilogram.
It means you are calculative.


Hmm...so you judge the speaker
and is calculative over what the speaker says?
Doesn't seem very gracious and accepting, is it?





I think it is by using the former way of listening ,
that you will be able to communicate and learn effectively.



Afterall, if we are too arrogant to listen and
judge the speaker before really listening,
how can we expect to gain anything?




By the way, I am not sure whether
this is really the authentic way of
analysing the two versions of the
same chinese word.


The analysis on the traditional version is
based on what I heard at a counselling course,
and the latter is based on
a discussion I had with my mum.




Do give feedback if there is a
better way of analysing the words. =)