noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'
Often used of children who listen to reason and behave obediently. The noun form 聞き分け is common in phrases like 聞き分けがいい (to be reasonable/obedient) and 聞き分けのない (unreasonable/disobedient).
この子は聞き分けがよくて、あまり泣かない。
This child is well-behaved and doesn't cry much.
聞き分けのない態度に困っている。
I'm troubled by his unreasonable attitude.
The verb form meaning 'to distinguish by listening' or 'to listen to reason'; 聞き分け is the nominalized form focusing on the quality of being reasonable or obedient.
Compound of 聞き (the continuative form of 聞く 'to listen') and 分け (the continuative form of 分ける 'to distinguish'). Literally 'listening and distinguishing', it came to mean the ability to understand and comply with what one is told.