reputation; what others think; appearances
Refers to how one is perceived by others, often in the context of avoiding shame or maintaining a good image. Commonly used in phrases like 人聞きが悪い (it sounds bad, it looks bad).
It would look bad if you did that.
It's not good to worry too much about what others think.
Compound of 人 (ひと, person) and 聞き (きき, hearing), literally 'what people hear'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the meaning has shifted to refer to one's reputation or how one is perceived.