煙 (yān) - Smoke & mist

煙Tone 1

yān ｜ 13 strokes ｜ radical:

信嫣

煙 · yān

Smoke;

mist;

vapor;

tobacco;

cigarette;

also refers to something insubstantial or transient.

Smokemistvapor

Usage highlights

SmokeCigaretteTobaccoSmoke signalMist and cloudsGunpowder smoke

Synonyms

  • 雾— fog; mist
  • 云— cloud
  • 气— vapor; steam

Antonyms

  • 火— fire (source of smoke, but opposite in substance)
  • 实— solid; real (antonym to its insubstantial sense)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The chimney emits smoke (烟囱冒烟).
  • Morning mist shrouds the mountains (晨烟笼罩着山).
  • He quit smoking cigarettes (他戒烟了).
  • The battlefield was filled with gunpowder smoke (战场硝烟弥漫).

Collocations

  • Smoke(烟)
  • Cigarette(香烟)
  • Tobacco(烟草)
  • Smoke signal(狼烟)
  • Mist and clouds(烟云)
  • Gunpowder smoke(硝烟)

Idioms

  • Smoky mirage, misty rain(烟雨迷蒙)
  • Vast expanse of mist and water(烟波浩渺)
  • Disappear like smoke(烟消云散)
  • Past events vanish like smoke(过眼云烟)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In classical Chinese poetry, 'smoke' often evokes a sense of ethereal beauty, transience, and melancholy.
  • Historically, 'smoke signals' (狼烟) were used for military communication along the Great Wall.
  • The character is associated with both the tangible (fire smoke, tobacco) and the intangible (mist, illusion).

FAQ