Today’s word of the day is 吸 (xī) which is a verb meaning to suck. Let’s practice by making different words, phrases, and sentences with 吸 (xī).
吸引 (xī yǐn) To attract
The first word is 吸引 (xī yǐn) which is a verb that means to attract. Let’s look at each character of this word, 吸 means to suck, and 引 (yǐn) means to lure. A way of using it in a sentence is: 这份工作最吸引你的地方是哪儿？(Zhè fèn gōngzuò zuì xīyǐn nǐ de dìfāng shì nǎ er?) What attracts you most about this job? You may hear this question in an interview.
吸收 (xī shōu) To absorb
Another word we can create with 吸 (xī) is 吸收 (xī shōu). This is a verb that means to absorb. Let’s again look at each character of this word, 吸 means to suck, and 收 means to receive. A way of using it in a sentence is 植物靠根部吸收水分。(Zhíwù kào gēnbù xīshōu shuǐfèn.) Plants rely on their roots to absorb water.
呼吸 (hū xī) To breathe
Finally, we can create the word 呼吸 (hū xī) which is a verb that means to breathe. The 呼here means to breathe out. A way of using it in a sentence is 他在呼吸吗？ (Tā zài hūxī ma?) Is he breathing? You may hear this in a Chinese movie or drama where someone is knocked unconscious for example.