- 呼吸 — breathing
- 吸収 — absorption
- 吸引 — suction
- 吸血 — bloodsucking
- 吸盤 — suction cup
- 吸う — to inhale; to suck
吸 combines 口 (mouth) with the phonetic 及 (キュウ), evoking the act of drawing in. It’s used for breathing, sipping, suction, and “absorbing” in both literal and figurative senses.
深く 息を 吸って ください。
Please take a deep breath.
植物は 根から 水分を 吸収します。
Plants absorb water through their roots.