Definition

1. Verb phrase:
   • To hear of / to hear about: To become aware of someone or something through information received from others, rather than direct experience. It implies knowing by reputation or hearsay.
   • To know by reputation: To be familiar with someone's name, fame, or notoriety without having met them personally or seen their work firsthand.

Usage Examples

• Verb phrase: (I have only heard of him as a good lawyer; I have never met him.) (We have heard about this restaurant for a long time.) (She is very famous; almost everyone knows her by reputation.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase often carries a nuance of respect or acknowledgment of a widely recognized status or quality. (He is a scholar whose reputation is known within the professional community.)

Variants and Related Words

• Nghe danh (verb phrase): A near-synonym meaning "to know by fame/reputation." Tôi đã nghe danh thành phố này về sự sạch sẽ. (I have heard of this city's reputation for cleanliness.)

• Nghe nói (verb phrase): To hear (people) say. This focuses more on the act of hearing a specific piece of news or gossip, rather than a general reputation. Tôi nghe nói anh sắp chuyển đi. (I heard (people say) you are about to move away.)

Synonyms

• To be aware of: To have knowledge of something.
• To know of: To have information about something's existence.
• To be acquainted with the name: To recognize a name.

Related Idioms

• Nghe tiếng đồn: To hear rumors; to learn of something through the grapevine. (I heard a rumor that the project is about to be canceled.)