吸毒

• Pinyin: xī dú
• Hanzi breakdown: 吸 = 口 (mouth) + 及 (to reach), meaning to inhale; 毒 = 毋 + 母, originally depicting a poisonous plant

Meaning

To take drugs; drug abuse. The act of consuming illegal narcotic substances.

A serious term referring to the illegal use of narcotics. In China, drug use carries severe legal penalties. Related terms: 毒品 (drugs/narcotics), 戒毒 (drug rehabilitation), 贩毒 (drug trafficking). Public campaigns against drugs are common.

Examples

1. 吸毒不仅毁掉自己的健康，还会连累整个家庭。 Drug abuse not only ruins one's own health but also drags down the entire family.
2. 那个演员因为吸毒被捕，演艺生涯彻底毁了。 That actor was arrested for drug use, completely ruining his acting career.
3. 社区定期开展禁毒宣传，提醒年轻人远离吸毒。 The community regularly conducts anti-drug campaigns to remind young people to stay away from drugs.

Usage Guide

Context: legal, social issues, news, health

Tone: serious

Do Say

• 吸毒是违法行为。(Drug use is illegal.)
• 他因吸毒被判刑三年。(He was sentenced to three years for drug use.)

Don't Say

• 我吸毒吸烟 — 吸毒专指毒品，吸烟是抽烟，不能混用

Origin & History

Compound of 吸 (to inhale, absorb) + 毒 (poison, toxin, drugs). Literally means 'to inhale poison,' reflecting the harmful nature of drug use.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal