chōu yān
to smoke
他每天都抽烟。
tā měitiān dōu chōuyān.
He smokes every day.
吸烟有害健康。
xīyān yǒuhài jiànkāng.
Smoking is harmful to health.
禁止在公共场所抽烟。
jìnzhǐ zài gōnggòng chǎngsuǒ chōuyān.
No smoking in public places.
吸烟 (xī yān)
smoke
吞云吐雾 (tūn yún tǔ wù)
smoke
戒烟 (jiè yān)
quit smoking
不吸烟 (bù xī yān)
don't smoke
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The Chinese word 抽烟 (chōu yān) for "smoking" is composed of two characters: 抽 (chōu) and 烟 (yān). The character 抽 originally meant "to pull out" or "to extract", and was often used in the context of pulling out a sword from its sheath. Over time, it came to be used more broadly to refer to the act of inhaling or drawing something in, such as taking a breath or smoking a cigarette. The character 烟 originally meant "smoke" or "vapor", and was often used to refer to the smoke from burning incense or candles. When combined together, the characters 抽烟 literally mean "to pull in smoke", which is a fitting description for the act of smoking.
