Comprehension of implied meaning in Chinese second language listening

Abstract Listening comprehension is crucial for second language (L2) communication and acquisition. However, it has received less attention than reading, given the transient nature of speech signals and the intangible cognitive processes involved in it. The current study investigates how Chinese L2 learners process implied meanings in listening comprehension and whether heritage language learning affects the comprehension of implied meanings. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 22 heritage and 24 non‐heritage Chinese learners employing an implied meaning test and the stimulated recall procedure. Results show that Chinese L2 learners in this study exhibited relatively strong abilities in understanding implied meanings in listening, and that heritage learners outperformed non‐heritage language learners in comprehension of implied meanings. Background knowledge and semantic clues were found to be positively related to the accuracy in comprehending implied meanings. Pedagogical implications are provided in light of the study's findings.