闻名 literally means 'to hear (wén) of fame (míng)' — it expresses the idea that someone or something is widely known or famous, often because their reputation has spread by word of mouth or through media. Unlike the adjective 著名 (zhùmíng), 闻名 functions primarily as a verb and typically appears in the structure 'subject + 闻名 (+ (for) + noun phrase)', such as '这座古城闻名世界' (This ancient city is famous worldwide). It emphasizes the fact that the subject has become widely recognized, rather than merely describing an inherent quality.

The word is commonly used with places (e.g., cities, landmarks), people (especially historical or cultural figures), and cultural products (e.g., cuisine, art forms). It carries a formal, slightly literary tone and is frequent in written Chinese, travel writing, and news reports — less common in casual spoken conversation. Note that 闻名 itself does not take an object directly; instead, it’s followed by prepositional phrases like '于...' (in classical usage) or more often '（在...）闻名' or '闻名（于）...' in modern usage.