煙 Meaning, Reading, and Vocabulary｜Onyomi エン・Kunyomi けむり
This kanji represents 'smoke' rising from a fire (火).
Its onyomi is 'エン', used in words like 禁煙 (no smoking) and 喫煙 (smoking).
Its kunyomi readings are 'けむり' (smoke) and 'けむい' (smoky), which are commonly used in daily life.
Kanji at a glance
Core meaning / core image
It means 'smoke' rising from a fire, and is also widely used to express a feeling of obscured vision or stuffiness, much like smoke.
Kanji structure breakdown
Mnemonic story
This character represents smoke rising when a blazing fire (火) is tightly blocked (垔) from above. It came to mean the smoke that leaks out when flames are obstructed.
On'yomi and kun'yomi
On reading
Kun reading
Commonly used words
Example sentences
Mini quiz
What is the correct reading for '禁煙'?
One-line summary
煙 (smoke) represents smoke rising from a blocked (垔) fire (火). Remember its onyomi エン (as in 禁煙/喫煙) and kunyomi けむり (smoke)!
FAQ
What is the difference between 煙い (けむい) and 煙たい (けむたい)?
Both mean 'smoky' or 'irritating to the eyes due to smoke', but '煙たい' is also frequently used figuratively to mean 'feeling awkward or uncomfortable around someone'.
How are 煙 (けむり) and 湯気 (ゆげ) different?
'煙 (けむり)' refers to 'smoke' produced when something burns, while '湯気 (ゆげ)' refers to 'steam' rising from hot water or food.
