Chinese word

听话

Pronunciation

Pinyintīng huà

Meaning

  • adjectiveobedient

Example

他的狗很听话，不会乱叫。tā de gǒu hěn tīng huà bú huì luàn jiào

His dog is very obedient and does not bark without reason.

Illustration for 听话 (obedient)

More examples

父母希望孩子听话，但也重视他的独立性。fù mǔ xī wàng hái zi tīng huà dàn yě zhòng shì tā de dú lì xìng

Parents want their child to obey, but they also value his independence.

Core concept

A person or animal stays aligned with another's spoken directions instead of resisting them.

Common phrases

  • 让孩子听话ràng hái zi tīng huà

    get children to obey

  • 对父母听话duì fù mǔ tīng huà

    be obedient to one's parents

Similar words

乖guāi: Being well-behaved and settled, especially when describing a child.
温顺wēn shùn: Being gentle and mild-tempered, with a tendency to be compliant.
顺从shùn cóng: Yielding to another person's commands or views instead of opposing them.

Definition in Chinese

听从别人的话或指示，按对方说的去做，表现出顺从或配合，常用来形容人或动物的性格或行为。tīng cóng bié rén de huà huò zhǐ shì àn duì fāng shuō de qù zuò biǎo xiàn chū shùn cóng huò pèi hé cháng yòng lái xíng róng rén huò dòng wù de xìng gé huò xíng wéi

Word origin

The compound 听话 (tīnghuà, "obedient") joins 听 (tīng, "listen") and 话 (huà, "words"), linking hearing someone's words with following them.

Usage tips

  • In everyday conversation, 听话 (tīnghuà, "obedient") often praises a child's or pet's conduct, while applying it to an adult may suggest a lack of independence.

Other meanings

  • well-behavedadjective
  • do as toldverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word