Chinese idiom · 成语
洗耳恭听
Meaning
Wash ears to listen respectfully; eager attention.
Character by character
Origin and story
Literary usageIn act 4 of Zheng Tingyu's Yuan play Chu Zhao Gong, Baili Xi asks the king of Chu to explain how members of his family survived falling into the Han River. He offers to 'wash his ears' and listen respectfully. The phrase is a courteous declaration of attention inside the play; its historical-looking characters do not turn the dramatic scene into verified history.
An older legend also has Xu You wash his ears after hearing an unwanted offer of office. That is a different use of the image: rejecting something heard, rather than preparing to welcome someone's words. The polite idiom should not be explained by reversing that legend's meaning.
Sources and further reading
In everyday life
你说找到了更好的办法？我洗耳恭听。
You say you've found a better way? I'm all ears.
A polite, sometimes playfully formal invitation for someone to speak.