Meaning of 吸管
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- (drinking) straw
- pipette
- eyedropper
- snorkel
Measure word: 支
How to use 吸管
In everyday speech 吸管 almost always means a drinking straw, and it is common at bubble tea shops and restaurants. In labs it can mean a pipette or dropper. Example: 请给我一根吸管。(Qǐng gěi wǒ yì gēn xīguǎn.) Please give me a straw.
吸 (xī) means to suck in or inhale, and 管 (guǎn) means a tube or pipe. A 吸管 is simply a tube you suck through, like a drinking straw.
Common mistake: Learners often use the measure word 个 (gè), but 根 (gēn) is the natural choice for thin, long things like straws. Also keep 吸 (xī) in the first tone. Do not confuse it with 洗 (xǐ, to wash), which sounds similar but has a different tone.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
吸 xī · to breathe · 6 strokes
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管 guǎn · to take care · 14 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 吸管.
| 管理 | guǎnlǐ | to supervise; to manage |
| 不管 | bùguǎn | not to be concerned; regardless of |
| 呼吸 | hūxī | to breathe |
| 吸引 | xīyǐn | to attract; to appeal to; to fascinate |
| 吸烟 | xīyān | to smoke |
| 吸收 | xīshōu | to absorb; to assimilate |
| 尽管 | jǐnguǎn | despite; although |
| 主管 | zhǔguǎn | in charge; responsible for |
| 吸毒 | xīdú | to take drugs |
| 只管 | zhǐguǎn | solely engrossed in one thing; just (one thing, no need to worry about the rest) |
| 管道 | guǎndào | tubing; pipeline |
| 血管 | xuèguǎn | vein; artery |
Questions about 吸管
What does 吸管 mean?
吸管 (xīguǎn) means "(drinking) straw; pipette" and is used as a noun.
How do you write 吸管?
吸管 is made of 2 characters: 吸 (6 strokes), 管 (14 strokes). That is 20 strokes in total.
Is 吸管 an HSK word?
Yes. 吸管 is on the HSK 4 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How do you say 'I don't need a straw' in Chinese?
You can say 我不要吸管 (wǒ bú yào xīguǎn). This is useful when ordering drinks, especially with more shops encouraging people to skip plastic straws.
Does 管 in 吸管 mean the same thing as in 管理?
No. In 吸管, 管 means a tube or pipe. In 管理 (guǎnlǐ) and 不管 (bùguǎn), 管 means to manage or to care about. It is the same character used with different meanings.