xīdú: 吸毒 - To take drugs, drug abuse, drug addiction

• Keywords: xidu, xi du, 吸毒, take drugs in Chinese, drug abuse in China, Chinese word for addiction, narcotics, illegal drugs in China, Chinese drug policy, Century of Humiliation, Opium Wars.
• Summary: Learn the crucial Chinese term 吸毒 (xīdú), which means “to take drugs” or “drug abuse.” This entry explores its powerful negative connotation, rooted in China's history with the Opium Wars, and its modern usage in legal and social contexts. Discover why this term is far more severe than its simple English translation suggests and learn how to use it correctly.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): xīdú
• Part of Speech: Verb-Object phrase (can function as a verb or noun phrase)
• HSK Level: HSK 6
• Concise Definition: To use, abuse, or be addicted to illegal narcotics.
• In a Nutshell: 吸毒 (xīdú) is the standard, unambiguous term for the act of consuming illegal drugs. It is not used for taking prescription medicine. The term carries an extremely strong negative connotation and is associated with criminality, social decay, and personal ruin. It reflects China's zero-tolerance stance on illicit drugs, a view deeply shaped by historical events.

• 吸 (xī): To suck, inhale, absorb, or breathe in. Think of using a straw (吸管 - xīguǎn) or taking a breath (呼吸 - hūxī).
• 毒 (dú): Poison, toxin, or narcotic. This character is also used in words like “virus” (病毒 - bìngdú) and “poisonous” (有毒 - yǒudú).
• The characters combine literally to mean “to inhale poison.” This vivid construction leaves no room for ambiguity. It directly frames the act of taking drugs as self-poisoning, highlighting its inherent harm and immediately signaling its negative status in Chinese culture.

The term 吸毒 (xīdú) is one of the most culturally and historically loaded words in the modern Chinese vocabulary. Its severe connotation cannot be understood without knowing about China's “Century of Humiliation” (百年国耻 - bǎinián guóchǐ), which began with the Opium Wars in the mid-19th century. During this period, the British Empire forcibly imported massive quantities of opium into China, leading to widespread addiction that crippled Chinese society and the economy. This national trauma is a cornerstone of modern Chinese education and national identity. Consequently, drug use is not just seen as a personal health issue or a crime, but as a threat to the nation itself—a weakness that could invite foreign exploitation and lead to social collapse. In the West, particularly in America, the conversation around drugs can be multifaceted, including debates on personal liberty, medical use (e.g., medical marijuana), and harm reduction. In China, the discourse is almost uniformly focused on prevention, harsh punishment, and national security. The concept of “recreational drug use” is culturally alien and unacceptable. Therefore, 吸毒 (xīdú) is linked to core societal values like social stability (稳定 - wěndìng), harmony (和谐 - héxié), and national rejuvenation.

吸毒 (xīdú) is used in formal, official, and informal contexts, but always with a serious and negative tone.

• Legal and Media: You will frequently see this term in news reports about drug busts, police statements, and legal documents. Anti-drug campaigns by the government (禁毒宣传 - jìndú xuānchuán) heavily feature this word.
• Conversation: In everyday talk, mentioning someone 吸毒 is a very serious accusation or statement. It's used to describe someone with a drug addiction problem, often with a tone of condemnation or pity. It is never used casually or humorously.
• As a Verb vs. Noun Phrase:
  • As a verb: 他吸毒。 (Tā xīdú.) - He takes drugs.
  • As a noun concept: 吸毒是违法的。 (Xīdú shì wéifǎ de.) - Drug abuse is illegal.

• Example 1:
  • 吸毒是违法的行为。
  • Pinyin: Xīdú shì wéifǎ de xíngwéi.
  • English: Taking drugs is an illegal act.
  • Analysis: This is a straightforward, factual statement you might see in a legal text or a public service announcement. It treats 吸毒 as the subject of the sentence.
• Example 2:
  • 那个年轻人因为吸毒被警察抓走了。
  • Pinyin: Nàge niánqīngrén yīnwèi xīdú bèi jǐngchá zhuā zǒu le.
  • English: That young man was arrested by the police for taking drugs.
  • Analysis: This example shows the direct legal consequences associated with the act. The structure 因为…被… (yīnwèi…bèi…) means “was [verbed] because of…”.
• Example 3:
  • 他吸毒上瘾了，现在正在戒毒所。
  • Pinyin: Tā xīdú shàngyǐn le, xiànzài zhèngzài jièdúsuǒ.
  • English: He got addicted to drugs and is now in a rehabilitation center.
  • Analysis: This sentence introduces the concept of addiction (上瘾 - shàngyǐn) and rehabilitation (戒毒所 - jièdúsuǒ), showing the progression from the act to its consequences.
• Example 4:
  • 父母很担心他们的儿子会开始吸毒。
  • Pinyin: Fùmǔ hěn dānxīn tāmen de érzi huì kāishǐ xīdú.
  • English: The parents are very worried that their son will start taking drugs.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates the social fear and stigma surrounding drug use. It is seen as a parent's worst nightmare.
• Example 5:
  • 政府正在严厉打击吸毒和贩毒活动。
  • Pinyin: Zhèngfǔ zhèngzài yánlì dǎjī xīdú hé fàndú huódòng.
  • English: The government is cracking down hard on drug abuse and drug trafficking activities.
  • Analysis: This is typical language from official sources or news reports, highlighting the government's active role. It pairs 吸毒 (drug use) with 贩毒 (fàndú - drug trafficking).
• Example 6:
  • 他发誓再也不吸毒了。
  • Pinyin: Tā fāshì zài yě bù xīdú le.
  • English: He swore to never take drugs again.
  • Analysis: This shows a personal resolution to stop. The phrase 再也不…了 (zài yě bù…le) means “to never again…”.
• Example 7:
  • 你千万不要和吸毒的人交朋友。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ qiānwàn búyào hé xīdú de rén jiāo péngyou.
  • English: You must never make friends with people who take drugs.
  • Analysis: This is a common piece of advice given to young people, reflecting the belief that drug users are a bad influence and a danger to be avoided.
• Example 8:
  • 电影里详细描述了吸毒对家庭的毁灭性影响。
  • Pinyin: Diànyǐng lǐ xiángxì miáoshùle xīdú duì jiātíng de huǐmièxìng yǐngxiǎng.
  • English: The movie described in detail the devastating impact of drug abuse on families.
  • Analysis: This illustrates the wider social consequences of drug abuse, extending beyond the individual to the family unit, which is central in Chinese culture.
• Example 9:
  • 他看起来很憔悴，有人怀疑他在吸毒。
  • Pinyin: Tā kànqǐlái hěn qiáocuì, yǒurén huáiyí tā zài xīdú.
  • English: He looks haggard; some people suspect he is taking drugs.
  • Analysis: This shows how physical appearance can lead to suspicion. 吸毒 is often associated with a specific negative physical image.
• Example 10:
  • 医生开的止痛药不是毒品，吃那个不叫吸毒。
  • Pinyin: Yīshēng kāi de zhǐtòngyào búshì dúpǐn, chī nàge bú jiào xīdú.
  • English: The painkillers prescribed by the doctor are not narcotics; taking those is not called “drug abuse”.
  • Analysis: This sentence explicitly draws the crucial line between taking prescribed medication (吃药 - chīyào) and illicit drug use (吸毒).

• False Friend: “Taking drugs” vs. 吃药 (chīyào)
  • The most critical mistake a learner can make is to use 吸毒 (xīdú) when they mean “to take medicine.” In Chinese, “to take medicine” is 吃药 (chīyào), which literally means “to eat medicine.”
  • Incorrect: 我生病了，需要吸毒。(Wǒ shēngbìng le, xūyào xīdú.) - This sounds like you're saying “I'm sick, I need to take illegal drugs.”
  • Correct: 我生病了，需要吃药。(Wǒ shēngbìng le, xūyào chīyào.) - “I'm sick, I need to take medicine.”
• No Casual Connotation: Unlike in some English-speaking contexts where drug use might be discussed casually or even humorously, 吸毒 (xīdú) has zero positive or neutral connotations in Mandarin. Using it lightly will be perceived as shocking, ignorant, or offensive.
• Verb-Object Structure: Remember that 吸毒 is a verb-object phrase (verb: 吸, object: 毒). This means it can sometimes be separated by other words in more formal or specific contexts, for example: 吸食毒品 (xīshí dúpǐn - to ingest/consume narcotics). For most learners, however, it's best to treat 吸毒 as a single vocabulary item.

• 毒品 (dúpǐn): The substance itself. Narcotics, illegal drugs. 吸毒 is the act of using 毒品.
• 贩毒 (fàndú): To traffic drugs. The crime of selling or transporting illegal drugs.
• 戒毒 (jièdú): To quit drugs, to undergo drug rehabilitation. The character 戒 (jiè) means “to give up” or “to abstain from.”
• 禁毒 (jìndú): To ban or prohibit drugs. This term is often used in the context of government policy and campaigns (e.g., 禁毒日 - Jìndú Rì, “Anti-Drug Day”).
• 瘾君子 (yǐnjūnzǐ): A drug addict. This is a more literary and somewhat dated term. Literally “addiction gentleman,” it's often used with a sense of pity or in older texts.
• 上瘾 (shàngyǐn): To become addicted. Can be used for drugs, but also for other things like video games (玩游戏上瘾) or gambling (赌博上瘾).
• 吃药 (chīyào): To take medicine. The conceptual opposite of 吸毒 in terms of legality and social acceptance.
• 麻醉品 (mázuìpǐn): Anesthetics, narcotics. A more clinical or legal term that can include controlled substances used in medicine.
• 精神药物 (jīngshén yàowù): Psychoactive drugs. A technical, medical term.