无聊 vs 闷 differences in usage

Question

I have been trying to figure out if 无聊 and 闷 have some difference in terms of usages. So I have thought of some scenarios below.

1. "Decribing an activity". If I want to say this activity is very boring. Is the sentence "这个活动很无聊" or "这个活动很闷"?

2. "Describing a person". If I want to say that person is a boring person. Should it be "他是一个很无聊的人" or "他是一个很闷的人"

3. "Describing as feeling". If I want to say "I am so bored this few days". Should it be "这几天我很闷" or "这几天我很无聊"?

That's all the scenario I can think of so far. I'm not sure if I constructed the sentences correctly so do correct me if I'm wrong. And do feel free to add more differences in their usages if I missed out some aspects!

Answer 1

无聊 (meaningless; uninteresting; listless)

闷 (bored; boring)

When using 无聊 to describe an event, your opinion on this event is 'it is meaningless' (therefore boring)

When using 闷 to describe an event, your opinion on this event is 'it is boring' (It just describes how you feel, no mention of the reason)

When using 无聊 to describe a person, your opinion on this person is 'he is uninteresting' (therefore boring)

When using 闷 to describe a person, your opinion on this person is 'he is boring' (It just describes how you feel, no mention of the reason)

When using 无聊 to describe your feeling, you mean you feel listless, nothing interest you (therefore bored)

When using 闷 to describe your feeling, your mean you feel bored (It just describes how you feel, no mention of the reason)

• (for event) 无聊 = boring (because it is meaningless in your opinion)

• (for event) 闷 = boring (for whatever reason, may be the event is too long, may be things keep repeating and nothing new happen)

• (for person) 无聊 = boring (because the person is uninteresting in your opinion)

• (for person) 闷 = boring (for whatever reason, may be that person's topics for conversion do not interest you, maybe that person doesn't like to talk at all.)

• (for feeling) 无聊 = bored (because you are not interested in anything at the moment)

• (for feeling) 闷 = bored (for whatever reason, may be you are at something interesting for too long and the fun wore off, may be you are unable to do the thing that does interest you)

Example sentence:

别再做这种无聊事了 (Stop doing meaningless things like this)

you cannot replace 无聊 with 闷 because 闷 doesn't contain the meaning of 'meaningless'

這人很无聊，一天到晚说人事非 (this guy is very uninteresting, he just gossiping about people all day long)

you cannot replace 无聊 with 闷 because 闷 doesn't contain the meaning of 'uninteresting'

一个人去看戏我会很闷 (I would feel bored if I go to see a movies alone )

you cannot replace 闷 with 无聊 because 无聊 contains the meaning of 'listless' but you do interested in watching movies

Answer 2

无聊 = boring, meaningless

闷 = men1 / men4

men1:

1. Seal/make air not flow: 这道菜需要闷十五分钟
2. Not speak/not express: 闷声坐着

men4:

1. The feeling of air does not flow: 电梯里太闷了
2. Sulk/Gloomy mood: 他这两天看起来很烦闷

"Describing an activity"

这个活动很无聊 = This activity is boring(Maybe many things happen in the activity but you are not interested)

这个活动很闷 = Not too many people speak during the activity.

"Describing a person".

他是一个很无聊的人 = He is a boring person. (This person may do many things but all meaningless/you are not interested)

他是一个很闷的人 = He doesn't express himself much.

"Describing as feeling".

这几天我很无聊 = I'm bored these days. (I don't have anything interesting to do)

这几天我很闷 = I'm in a bad mood these days.

Note: The 闷men4 Gloomy mood, usually this mood is held by oneself, not expressing it. Like 他一个人到旁边生闷气去了.

Answer 3

无聊=nothing intrested enough to be talked 闷=heart inside door,no none is active