抽烟

• Pinyin: chōu yān
• Hanzi breakdown: 抽 = 扌(hand) + 由 (from, phonetic); 烟 = 火 (fire) + 因 (phonetic component)

Meaning

To smoke (cigarettes or tobacco). The standard way to express the action of smoking.

The most common expression for smoking tobacco. 抽 literally means 'to draw out' and 烟 means 'smoke' or 'cigarette.' In formal or written contexts, 吸烟 is also used, especially on signs like 禁止吸烟 (no smoking). Can be used as a verb-object phrase, so modifiers go between the two characters: 抽了一根烟.

Examples

1. 医生告诉他必须戒掉抽烟的习惯。 The doctor told him he must quit the habit of smoking.
2. 这个餐厅里面不能抽烟，请到外面去。 You can't smoke inside this restaurant — please go outside.
3. 他已经抽烟二十多年了，现在想戒掉很难。 He's been smoking for over twenty years; it's hard for him to quit now.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, health

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 你还在抽烟吗？对身体不好。(Are you still smoking? It's bad for your health.)
• 他每天至少抽烟十根。(He smokes at least ten cigarettes a day.)

Don't Say

• 对刚戒烟的人说'来抽烟吧' (Don't offer cigarettes to someone who recently quit — it's disrespectful to their effort)

Origin & History

抽 (to draw, to pull) + 烟 (smoke, cigarette). The phrase literally describes the action of drawing smoke through a cigarette, capturing the inhalation motion.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal