吸管

• Pinyin: xī guǎn
• Hanzi breakdown: 吸 = 口 (mouth) + 及 (phonetic); 管 = 竹 (bamboo) + 官 (official, phonetic) — tube or pipe

Meaning

Drinking straw; a thin tube used for sucking up liquid.

Refers to the disposable or reusable tube used for drinking beverages. Can also refer to laboratory pipettes or any tube used for suction. With growing environmental awareness in China, plastic straws are increasingly being replaced by paper or metal alternatives.

Examples

1. 她用吸管慢慢喝着奶茶。 She slowly sipped her bubble tea through a straw.
2. 为了保护环境，这家咖啡店不再提供塑料吸管。 To protect the environment, this café no longer provides plastic straws.
3. 孩子不小心把吸管弄弯了。 The child accidentally bent the straw.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, food

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 你需要吸管吗？(Do you need a straw?)
• 我们餐厅只提供纸质吸管。(Our restaurant only provides paper straws.)

Don't Say

• 用吸管指代管道或水管。(Don't use 吸管 to refer to pipes or water tubes — use 水管 for water pipes and 管道 for pipelines.)

Origin & History

Compound of 吸 (to suck/inhale) and 管 (tube/pipe), literally 'suction tube.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal