Usage note
闻表示用鼻子闻。
wén biǎo shì yòng bí zi wén。
Smell means to use the nose to detect odor.
Context note
闻常用于气味、香味和动作。
wén cháng yòng yú qì wèi 、 xiāng wèi hé dòng zuò。
Smell often appears with odors, fragrance, and actions.
5 examples
我闻到了花香。
wǒ wén dào le huā xiāng。
I smelled the scent of flowers.
他闻一闻。
tā wén yī wén。
He smells it.
请不要闻太近。
qǐng bú yào wén tài jìn。
Please do not smell too closely.
这味道很好闻。
zhè wèi dào hěn hǎo wén。
This smell is pleasant.
她闻到了一股香味。
tā wén dào le yì gǔ xiāng wèi。
She smelled a fragrance.
5 mini stories
我一进门就闻到饭香。
wǒ yí jìn mén jiù wén dào fàn xiāng。
As soon as I entered, I smelled the smell of food.
他闻了闻书包，觉得有点奇怪。
tā wén le wén shū bāo， jué de yǒu diǎn qí guài。
He smelled the schoolbag and felt something was strange.
花很香，远远就能闻到。
huā hěn xiāng， yuǎn yuǎn jiù néng wén dào。
The flowers are very fragrant and can be smelled from far away.
妈妈让我闻一闻这杯牛奶。
mā ma ràng wǒ wén yī wén zhè bēi niú nǎi。
Mom asked me to smell this cup of milk.
我闻到外面有雨的味道。
wǒ wén dào wài miàn yǒu yǔ de wèi dào。
I smelled the smell of rain outside.
Mini dialogue
闻花香
A
你闻，这朵花好香啊！
Nǐ wén, zhè duǒ huā hǎo xiāng a!
Smell this flower, it's so fragrant!
B
真的，我闻到了，是玫瑰的味道。
Zhēn de, wǒ wén dào le, shì méiguī de wèidào.
Really, I smell it, it's the scent of roses.
闻食物
A
妈妈在厨房做什么？我闻到了香味。
Māma zài chúfáng zuò shénme? Wǒ wén dào le xiāngwèi.
What is mom cooking in the kitchen? I smell something delicious.
B
我也闻到了，好像是蛋糕。
Wǒ yě wén dào le, hǎoxiàng shì dàngāo.
I smell it too, it seems like cake.
Related words and contrasts
contrast
听
tīng
to hear / to listen
闻 is for smelling with your nose, 听 is for hearing with your ears.
contrast
看
kàn
to see / to look
闻 uses your nose, 看 uses your eyes.
related
气味
qìwèi
smell / odor
气味 is the smell itself, 闻 is the action of smelling.