卷烟 (juǎn yān) — cigarette; cigar (rolled tobacco product)

Definition

noun

cigarettecigar (rolled tobacco product)

Measure word · 支

卷烟。
Tā mǎi le yì bāo juǎn yān.
He bought a pack of cigarettes.
卷烟。
Zhè zhǒng juǎn yān de wèi dào hěn dàn.
This kind of cigarette has a mild flavor.
卷烟。
Tā xí guàn fàn hòu chōu yì zhī juǎn yān.
He is used to smoking a cigarette after meals.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

The 卷 of 烟 describes tobacco rolled into a stick, giving the name for a cigarette.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

卩卩jiékneeling person

Sound part声符shēngfú

𢍏

𢍏𢍏卷juàn

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 卷, 卩 shows a kneeling person, while 𢍏 gives the sound and may also suggest bending or rolling, as in a reel of books.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 煙; 烟 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 烟 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (烟) it is 煙; in others it is 菸.

火垔煙

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

垔

垔yīn煙yān

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

This story is about the traditional form 煙, not the simplified 烟. It pairs 火, fire, with 垔, which gives the sound.