1.
to listen carefully; to strain one's ears
To concentrate on hearing something, often a faint or distant sound, by paying close attention.
耳を澄ますと鳥の声が聞こえた。
When I listened carefully, I could hear birdsong.
静かに耳を澄まして待った。
I waited quietly, straining my ears.
遠くから聞こえる音楽に耳を澄ました。
I listened carefully to the music coming from far away.
A literary and evocative expression meaning to focus one's hearing intently. 澄ます means 'to clear' or 'to refine,' so the phrase literally conveys the idea of 'clearing one's ears' to hear better. Often used in descriptive or narrative writing.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- じっと耳を澄ます: to listen intently without moving
- 耳を澄ませば: if you listen carefully
- 夜の音に耳を澄ます: to listen to the sounds of the night
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 聞き耳を立てる: to prick up one's ears — often implies eavesdropping or trying to catch someone's conversation, while 耳を澄ます is more about focusing on faint or ambient sounds
- よく聞く: to listen well — a simpler, everyday expression without the poetic nuance