吸

吸 U+5438, 吸 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-5438 ← 吷 [U+5437] CJK Unified Ideographs 吹 → [U+5439]

吸 U+2F83D, 吸 CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-2F83D ← 咞 [U+2F83C] CJK Compatibility Ideographs Supplement 呈 → [U+2F83E]

Translingual

Han character

吸 (Kangxi radical 30, 口+3, 6 strokes, cangjie input 口弓竹水 (RNHE), four-corner 6704₇, composition ⿰口及)

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 179, character 12
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 3372
• Dae Jaweon: page 397, character 6
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 594, character 1
• Unihan data for U+5438

• Unihan data for U+2F83D

Chinese

trad.		吸
simp. #		吸
alternative forms		噏

Glyph origin

Characters in the same phonetic series (及) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 

	Old Chinese
趿	*sqʰɯːb
鈒	*sqʰɯːb, *sqʰrɯb
靸	*sqʰɯːb, *sqʰaːb
馺	*sqʰɯːb
砐	*ŋɡɯːb
魥	*ŋɡɯːb, *kʰab
扱	*skʰrɯːb
笈	*skʰrɯːb, *ɡrab, *ɡab, *ɡrɯb
衱	*ɡrab, *kab
极	*ɡrab, *ɡab
昅	*ɡab
雭	*sqʰrɯb
急	*krɯb
級	*krɯb
汲	*krɯb
芨	*krɯb
伋	*krɯb
彶	*krɯb
及	*ɡrɯb
岌	*ŋɡrɯb
吸	*qʰrɯb

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *qʰrɯb): semantic 口 (“mouth”) + phonetic 及 (OC *ɡrɯb) – to inhale through the mouth. Note that 及 originally derives from “grab”, hence connotations of “grab through the mouth, inhale”.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): xī (xi¹)

  (Zhuyin): ㄒㄧ

  (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): qi² / xi²

  (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): щи (xi, I)

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): kap¹

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): kip²

• Gan (Wiktionary): xit⁶
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): khip

  (Meixian, Guangdong): kib⁵

• Jin (Wiktionary): xieh⁴
• Northern Min (KCR): hĭ
• Eastern Min (BUC): só̤h / ngék
• Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): kih⁶ / gih⁶
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): hip / khip

  (Teochew, Peng'im): kib⁴ / guh⁴

• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ⁷shiq
• Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): ji⁶

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: xī
    • Zhuyin: ㄒㄧ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: si
    • Wade–Giles: hsi¹
    • Yale: syī
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shi
    • Palladius: си (si)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕi⁵⁵/
  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: qi² / xi²
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: ki / xi
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕʰi²¹/, /ɕi²¹/
  • (Dungan)
    • Cyrillic and Wiktionary: щи (xi, I)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕi²⁴/

    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: kap¹
    • Yale: kāp
    • Cantonese Pinyin: kap⁷
    • Guangdong Romanization: keb¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰɐp̚⁵/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: kip²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰip̚⁵⁵/
• Gan
  • (Nanchang)
    • Wiktionary: xit⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕit̚⁵/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: khip
    • Hakka Romanization System: kib^ˋ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: kib⁵
    • Sinological IPA: /kʰip̚²/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: kib⁵
    • Sinological IPA: /kʰip̚¹/
• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: xieh⁴
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /ɕiəʔ²/
• Northern Min
  • (Jian'ou)
    • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: hĭ
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /xi²⁴/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: só̤h / ngék
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɔʔ²⁴/, /ŋɛiʔ²⁴/
• Puxian Min
  • (Putian)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: kih⁶
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: kih
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰiʔ²¹/
  • (Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: kih⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰiʔ²/
  • (Putian)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: gih⁶
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: gih
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kiʔ²¹/
  • (Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: gih⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kiʔ²/

Note:

• kih6 - vernacular;
• gih6 - literary.

• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: hip
    • Tâi-lô: hip
    • Phofsit Daibuun: hib
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /hip̚⁵/
    • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou): /hip̚³²/
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: khip
    • Tâi-lô: khip
    • Phofsit Daibuun: qib
    • IPA (Quanzhou, Jinjiang): /kʰip̚⁵/
    • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /kʰip̚³²/
Note:
• hip - literary;
• khip - vernacular.
• • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: kib⁴ / guh⁴
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: khip / kuh
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰip̚²/, /kuʔ²/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁷shiq
    • MiniDict: shih^入
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ⁴xiq
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /ɕiɪʔ⁵⁵/
• Xiang
  • (Changsha)
    • Wiktionary: ji⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕi²⁴/

---

• Dialectal data

Variety	Location	edit 吸
Mandarin	Beijing	/ɕi⁵⁵/
	Harbin	/ɕi⁵³/
	Tianjin	/ɕi⁵³/
	Jinan	/ɕi²¹³/
	Qingdao	/ɕi²¹³/
	Zhengzhou	/ɕi²⁴/
	Xi'an	/ɕi²¹/
	Xining	/ɕji⁴⁴/
	Yinchuan	/ɕi¹³/
	Lanzhou	/ɕi¹³/
	Ürümqi	/ɕi²¹³/
	Wuhan	/ɕi²¹³/
	Chengdu	/t͡ɕi³¹/ /ɕi³¹/
	Guiyang	/t͡ɕi²¹/ 老 /ɕi²¹/ 新
	Kunming	/ɕi³¹/
	Nanjing	/ɕiʔ⁵/
	Hefei	/ɕiəʔ⁵/
Jin	Taiyuan	/ɕiəʔ²/
	Pingyao	/ɕiʌʔ¹³/ 呼～ /t͡ɕʰiʌʔ¹³/ 水～了
	Hohhot	/ɕiəʔ⁴³/
Wu	Shanghai	/ɕiɪʔ⁵/
	Suzhou	/ɕiəʔ⁵/
	Hangzhou	/ɕiəʔ⁵/
	Wenzhou	/ɕai²¹³/
Hui	Shexian	/ɕiʔ²¹/
	Tunxi	/ɕi⁵/
Xiang	Changsha	/t͡ɕi²⁴/
	Xiangtan	/t͡ɕi²⁴/
Gan	Nanchang	/ɕiʔ⁵/
Hakka	Meixian	/kʰip̚¹/
	Taoyuan	/kʰip̚⁵⁵/
Cantonese	Guangzhou	/kʰɐp̚⁵/
	Nanning	/kʰɐp̚⁵⁵/
	Hong Kong	/kʰɐp̚⁵/
Min	Xiamen (Hokkien)	/hip̚³²/ /kʰip̚³²/
	Fuzhou (Eastern Min)	/hɛiʔ²³/
	Jian'ou (Northern Min)	/xi²⁴/
	Shantou (Teochew)	/kʰip̚²/
	Haikou (Hainanese)	/lip̚⁵/

---

• Middle Chinese: xip

Rime
Character	吸
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	曉 (32)
Final (韻)	緝 (142)
Tone (調)	Checked (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	許及切
Baxter	xip
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/hˠiɪp̚/
Pan Wuyun	/hᵚip̚/
Shao Rongfen	/xiep̚/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/hjip̚/
Li Rong	/xjəp̚/
Wang Li	/xĭĕp̚/
Bernhard Karlgren	/xi̯əp̚/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	xi
Expected Cantonese Reflex	hap1

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*qʰ(r)əp/

  (Zhengzhang): /*qʰrɯb/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	吸
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	xī
Middle Chinese	‹ xip ›
Old Chinese	/*qʰ(r)əp/
English	inhale
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	吸
Reading #	1/1
No.	5667
Phonetic component	及
Rime group	緝
Rime subdivision	1
Corresponding MC rime	吸
Old Chinese	/*qʰrɯb/

Definitions

吸

1. to breathe in; to inhale

   吸一口氣／吸一口气  ―  xī yī kǒu qì  ―  to take a breath

   吸塵器／吸尘器  ―  xīchénqì  ―  vacuum cleaner

   • 藐姑射之山，有神人居焉，肌膚若冰雪，淖約若處子，不食五穀，吸風飲露。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]
     藐姑射之山，有神人居焉，肌肤若冰雪，淖约若处子，不食五谷，吸风饮露。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]

     From: Zhuangzi, circa 3^rd – 2^nd centuries BCE

     Miǎo Gūyè zhī shān, yǒu shénrén jū yān, jīfū ruò bīngxuě, nàoyuē ruò chùzǐ, bù shí wǔgǔ, xīfēngyǐnlù. [Pinyin]

     Far away on the hill of Gu Ye there dwelt a Spirit-like man whose flesh and skin were (smooth) as ice and (white) as snow; that his manner was elegant and delicate as that of a virgin; that he did not eat any of the five grains, but inhaled the wind and drank the dew.

   1. to smoke

      吸煙／吸烟  ―  xīyān  ―  to smoke cigarettes

      吸大麻  ―  xī dàmá  ―  to smoke marijuana

2. to suck; to drink

   吸奶  ―  xīnǎi  ―  to suckle; to suck milk

   • 吸飛泉之微液兮，懷琬琰之華英。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]
     吸飞泉之微液兮，怀琬琰之华英。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]

     From: The Verses of Chu, 4^th century BCE – 2^nd century CE, translated based on David Hawkes' version

     Xī fēiquán zhī wēi yè xī, huái wǎnyǎn zhī huáyīng. [Pinyin]

     I sipped the subtle liquor of the Flying Spring,
     And held in my bosom the flower-bright wan-yan jewel.

3. to absorb

   吸油紙／吸油纸  ―  xīyóuzhǐ  ―  facial oil blotting paper

4. to attract

   吸鐵石／吸铁石  ―  xītiěshí  ―  magnet

   異極相吸／异极相吸  ―  yì jí xiàng xī  ―  opposite poles attract

5. a surname, Xi

Synonyms

• (to smoke): 抽 (chōu)
• (to absorb):

edit

• 吸取 (xīqǔ)
• 吸收 (xīshōu)
• 抽取 (chōuqǔ)
• 攝 / 摄 (literary, or in compounds)
• 攝取 / 摄取 (shèqǔ)
• 束 (Xiamen Hokkien, Zhangzhou Hokkien)
• 汲 (jí) (literary, or in compounds)
• 汲取 (jíqǔ)
• 燥 (Hokkien)

• (to attract):

edit

• 勾
• 吸引 (xīyǐn)
• 抓 (zhuā)
• 招引 (zhāoyǐn)
• 誘惑 / 诱惑 (yòuhuò)
• 逗 (dòu)

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “to breathe in”): 呼 (hū)

Compounds

• 上呼吸道 (shànghūxīdào)
• 人工呼吸 (réngōng hūxī)
• 內呼吸 / 内呼吸
• 反吸
• 吸入 (xīrù)
• 吸入治療 / 吸入治疗 (xīrù zhìliáo)
• 吸力 (xīlì)
• 吸力豁剌
• 吸取 (xīqǔ)
• 吸吮 (xīshǔn)
• 吸吸
• 吮吸 (shǔnxī)
• 吸器
• 吸塵器 / 吸尘器 (xīchénqì)
• 吸引 (xīyǐn)
• 吸引力 (xīyǐnlì)
• 吸振器
• 吸收 (xīshōu)
• 吸收劑量 / 吸收剂量
• 吸收口
• 吸毒 (xīdú)
• 吸氣 / 吸气 (xīqì)
• 吸水力
• 吸水管
• 吸油煙機 / 吸油烟机
• 吸溼性 / 吸湿性
• 吸熱反應 / 吸热反应 (xīrè fǎnyìng)
• 吸熱玻璃 / 吸热玻璃
• 吸盤 / 吸盘 (xīpán)
• 吸管 (xīguǎn)
• 吸納 / 吸纳 (xīnà)
• 吸聲材料 / 吸声材料
• 吸膠 / 吸胶
• 吸芽
• 吸菸 / 吸烟 (xīyān)
• 吸血蛭
• 吸血蟲 / 吸血虫
• 吸血鬼 (xīxuèguǐ)
• 吸鐵石 / 吸铁石 (xītiěshí)
• 吸附 (xīfù)
• 吸附作用
• 吸風飲露 / 吸风饮露 (xīfēngyǐnlù)
• 吸食 (xīshí)
• 吸墨紙 / 吸墨纸 (xīmòzhǐ)
• 呼吸 (hūxī)
• 呼吸作用 (hūxī zuòyòng)
• 咀吸口
• 呼吸吐納 / 呼吸吐纳
• 呼吸器 (hūxīqì)
• 呼吸器官
• 呼吸孔
• 呼吸根
• 呼吸相通 (hūxīxiāngtōng)
• 呼吸系統 / 呼吸系统 (hūxī xìtǒng)
• 呼吸道 (hūxīdào)
• 呼吸運動 / 呼吸运动
• 呼吸音 (hūxīyīn)
• 噓吸 / 嘘吸
• 外呼吸
• 敲骨吸髓 (qiāogǔ xīsuǐ)
• 有氧呼吸
• 欻吸
• 深呼吸 (shēnhūxī)
• 空吸
• 肝吸蟲 / 肝吸虫
• 肺吸蟲 / 肺吸虫 (fèixīchóng)
• 肺呼吸
• 腹式呼吸
• 虹吸作用
• 虹吸現象 / 虹吸现象
• 虹吸管
• 血吸蟲 / 血吸虫 (xuèxīchóng)
• 血吸蟲病 / 血吸虫病 (xuèxīchóngbìng)
• 餐風吸露 / 餐风吸露

References

• 莆田市荔城区档案馆 [Putian City Licheng District Archives], editor (2022), “吸”, in 莆仙方言文读字汇 [Puxian Dialect Literary Reading Dictionary] (overall work in Mandarin and Puxian Min), page 250.