# 充耳不闻

chōng ěr bù wén

Refuse to listen

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Block the ears and hear nothing

**Traditional Chinese:** 充耳不聞

**Register:** Critical · general

[People & connection](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/relationships)

## When to use it

Criticize deliberate disregard of advice or complaints.

Different from actual hearing loss or missed information.

## Understanding the expression

The imagined ears are blocked, preventing inconvenient words from gaining attention. The expression criticizes a deliberate refusal to listen to warnings, requests, or criticism. It often follows 对 to identify what is being ignored. The person may physically hear the words yet choose not to engage. That distinguishes it from accidental failure to notice a message. A fair account identifies the repeated disregard rather than inferring refusal from one unanswered request alone.

## Examples

他对邻居投诉充耳不闻。

### Traditional Chinese

他對鄰居投訴充耳不聞。

tā duì lín jū tóu sù chōng ěr bù wén 。

He ignores neighbors' complaints.

不能对安全警告充耳不闻。

### Traditional Chinese

不能對安全警告充耳不聞。

bù néng duì ān quán jǐng gào chōng ěr bù wén 。

Safety warnings must not be ignored.

她劝了多次，他仍充耳不闻。

### Traditional Chinese

她勸了多次，他仍充耳不聞。

tā quàn le duō cì ， tā réng chōng ěr bù wén 。

He ignored her repeated advice.

管理层对员工建议充耳不闻。

### Traditional Chinese

管理層對員工建議充耳不聞。

guǎn lǐ céng duì yuán gōng jiàn yì chōng ěr bù wén 。

Management refuses to hear employees' suggestions.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 6, 2026.

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E5%85%85%E8%80%B3%E4%B8%8D%E8%81%9E)

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=616&webMd=1&la=0)

## Keep exploring

- [出尔反尔 chū ěr fǎn ěr Go back on one's word ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/chu-er-fan-er)

- [出言不逊 chū yán bù xùn Speak rudely or disrespectfully ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/chu-yan-bu-xun)

- [吹毛求疵 chuī máo qiú cī Find fault over tiny defects ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/chui-mao-qiu-ci)

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