懂
dǒng
When what you heard clicks into place: 懂
The picture Words come in, drop into the groove in your head, and click into place. 懂 is the click inside; 听 only reaches as far as the sound hitting your ear.
Where the picture shows up in 懂
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it will not click
对不起，我不懂你的意思。
duì bu qǐ, wǒ bù dǒng nǐ de yì si
Sorry, I do not follow what you mean.
The other person's words rattling at the groove and refusing to drop in
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some of it clicks
他懂一点儿中文。
tā dǒng yì diǎnr zhōng wén
He knows a little Chinese.
A few incoming sentences dropping into the groove while the rest slide past
懂 covers both following it and being able to use it
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heard and clicked
听懂了吗？我再说一遍。
tīng dǒng le ma? wǒ zài shuō yí biàn
Did you follow? Let me say it again.
Seeing one nod and one tilted head, and offering the same sentence a second time
After 听 it marks the result
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a whole field clicks
他懂机器，你问他吧。
tā dǒng jī qì, nǐ wèn tā ba
He knows machines, go ask him.
Hearing the sound alone and his hand already going to the right screw
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how people live clicks
这个孩子很懂事。
zhè ge hái zi hěn dǒng shì
This child is very sensible.
Seeing the adults busy, the child quietly clears the bowls first
懂事 means reading the situation and acting fittingly
All of it in one picture
懂 is the click of something landing in its groove. If the words coming in will not fit the groove, you do not follow; if some Chinese fits, you know a little of it. Asking whether the sound made it all the way to the click is 听懂了吗, and when everything about machines clicks for someone, they know machines inside out. Let how people live click too, and that is 懂事, a child with sense.