Illustration: At an open window in a Japanese home on an autumn evening, a child leans toward the garden with one hand cupped behind an ear. The other hand gently signals a sibling to remain quiet. Both children have stopped moving, and the listener's eyes stay loosely unfocused rather than searching visually.

JLPT N1verbLevel estimated by Bebop

澄すます

sumasu

to listen carefully

In this sense it is usually used as 耳を澄ます. Note written by AI.

Example sentences

  1. 目めを閉とじて、そっと耳みみを澄すましてごらん。

    Close your eyes, and listen carefully.

    Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · Source

  2. 私わたしは耳みみを澄すましたが、何なにも聞きこえなかった。

    I listened, but I heard nothing.

    Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · Source

  3. 彼かれはアメリカ滞在中たいざいちゅうの体験たいけんを話はなし始はじめた。私わたしたちは耳みみを澄すまして夢中むちゅうで聞きいた。

    He started to tell us his experiences during his stay in America. We were all ears.

    Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · Source

Kanji in 澄

  • 澄lucidity; be clearOnチョウKunすむ・すます

A word like this on every new tab

The Bebop Chrome extension shows one illustrated Japanese word each time you open a new tab in Chrome, with its reading, meaning, kanji and three example sentences. Choose any mix of levels from N5 to beyond N1. It’s free, with no account.

The Bebop new tab showing 音楽, music, over an illustration of a family playing music at home, with three example sentences
Add to Chrome Free on the Chrome Web Store
For Chrome on a computer. See it on the Chrome Web Store