紫煙

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: The spelling is 紫煙, read しえん, and it combines 紫, meaning purple, with 煙, meaning smoke.
• Basic usage: 紫煙 is a literary expression for smoke with a purplish appearance or, depending on context, cigarette smoke.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Visibly colored smoke and cigarette smoke
  • Both examples use the form 紫煙. Context separates a thin plume of purplish smoke illuminated by sunset light from cigarette smoke drifting through a window and causing displeasure.
• A purplish plume at sunset and smoke moving outside a window
  • 夕日に照らされた紫煙が空へ細く伸びた。 — A thin plume of purplish smoke lit by the setting sun rose into the sky.
  • 窓の外へ流れる紫煙を見て彼は顔をしかめた。 — He frowned at the cigarette smoke drifting out the window.