straining one's ears; listening intently
Refers to the act of listening carefully, often to catch faint or distant sounds. Commonly used in the phrase 聞き耳を立てる (to prick up one's ears).
I was straining my ears to listen to the conversation in the next room.
He pricked up his ears outside the door.
Standard kanji spelling.
Alternate kanji for 'listen'; used in some contexts.
Variant without okurigana; less common.
Rare variant without okurigana.
Compound of 聞き (kiki, 'listening', the continuative form of 聞く) and 耳 (mimi, 'ear').