刺耳

cì ěr

HSK 3.0 Level 7 Uncommon

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Definitions

1. ear-piercing

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Word relationships

Antonyms

1 item

• 悦耳 yuè ěr 悦耳 yuè ěr sweet-sounding 刺耳 means harsh or grating to the ear, while 悦耳 means pleasing to the ear, melodious.: sweet-sounding

Related words

2 items

• 刺眼 cì yǎn 刺眼 cì yǎn to dazzle 刺耳 describes sounds that are harsh or grating; 刺眼 is used for light or sights that are glaring or harsh on the eyes.: to dazzle
• 刺鼻 cì bí 刺鼻 cì bí to assail the nostrils 刺耳 is for unpleasant sounds; 刺鼻 refers to pungent or irritating smells.: to assail the nostrils

Synonyms

1 item

• 难听 nán tīng 难听 nán tīng unpleasant to hear Both describe sounds that are unpleasant to hear; 刺耳 specifically emphasizes piercing or grating quality, while 难听 is more general.: unpleasant to hear

Usage notes

Collocations

Often used with sounds like 声音 (shēngyīn), 音乐 (yīnyuè), or 话 (huà), e.g., 刺耳的声音 (piercing sound). Can also describe harsh words.

Common mistakes

Do not use 刺耳 to describe physical stabbing pain to the ear; it describes the quality of sound, not physical injury.

Example Sentences

1 shown

那个声音非常 刺耳 。

That sound is very piercing.

AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.

Child Words of 刺耳

• 刺 刺 cī: (onom.) whoosh
• 刺 刺 cì: thorn
• 耳 耳 ěr: ear