How to Write 聪 (cōng) — Meaning “clever; intelligent”

Imagine an ear (耳) that is always (总) listening and understanding everything. This image reminds you that 聪 means 'intelligent' because smart people listen carefully and learn quickly.

The right side 总 should be written narrower than the left ear 耳. A common mistake is making the right side too wide. The stroke order: write the ear radical first, then the two dots on top, then the mouth 口, and finally the heart 心 at the bottom.

All three contain the radical 耳, but 聪 has 总 on the right and means 'intelligent'. 聘 has 甹 on the right and means 'to hire' or 'invite'. 聚 has 取 on top and 彡 below and means 'to gather'. Visually, 聪 and 聘 are left-right, while 聚 is top-bottom.

聪 appears in common words like 聪明 (smart) and 聪慧 (intelligent) to describe mental ability. It is also used in 失聪 (deaf, literally 'lose hearing'), linking hearing to intelligence. In Chinese culture, being 聪明 is highly praised, and the character reflects the traditional value of attentive listening as a sign of wisdom.

Common words containing 聪 include: 聪明 (cōng míng) — smart; clever; 聪慧 (cōng huì) — bright; intelligent; 失聪 (shī cōng) — to lose hearing / deaf.