Vocabulary
들려오다
Come from a distance (sound)
Meaning
들려오다 means that a sound reaches someone, often from another place. 들려왔 is its past-tense stem before the final ending.
Why this form?
들리다 means “be audible”; 들려오다 highlights sound coming from somewhere; 듣다 means “listen / hear” from the listener’s perspective.
Forms That Should Not Be Confused
- 들리다 means to be audible ; 들려오다 features a sound that seems to come from somewhere else.
음악이 들려요. — I hear music.
2. 듣다 presents the listener as the subject ; 들려오다 presents sound as a subject.
소리를 들어요. — I hear a sound.
Examples
그 소리는 복도 끝에 있는 방에서 들려왔다. — The noise was coming from a room at the end of the hallway.
멀리서 웃음소리가 들려왔어요. — A laugh came from far away.