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吸毒 (xī dú) — to take drugs (illegal narcotics); to abuse drugs

Definition

吸毒 (xī dú) is the set phrase for 'to use/abuse illegal drugs.' The verb 吸 on its own just means to inhale or suck — adding 毒 (poison) is what makes it drug abuse.

verb
to take drugs (illegal narcotics)to abuse drugs

Examples

  • 吸毒。
    Tā yīn wèi xī dú shī qù le gōng zuò.
    He lost his job because of drug use.
  • ，。
    Tā xī guò dú, xiàn zài jiè le.
    He used to take drugs, but now he's quit.
  • 吸毒。
    Zhèng fǔ dà lì xuān chuán xī dú de wēi hài.
    The government is vigorously publicizing the dangers of drug use.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

吸xīinhale
毒dúpoison

吸 means to inhale or take in and 毒 refers to poison or narcotics, so together it means taking drugs.

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
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
及
及jí吸xī
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

吸 pairs 口 (mouth) with 及, which gives the sound and relates to grabbing, so the shape suggests grabbing through the mouth.

Open 吸 →

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
屮屮chèvegetation
Sound part声符shēngfú
毐
毐ǎi毒dú
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

毒 pairs 屮, a plant part, with 毐 as a sound part; this form was used for a poisonous plant.

Open 毒 →
Appears in
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