dú pǐn: 毒品 - (Illegal) Drugs, Narcotics

• Keywords: dú pǐn, 毒品, Chinese for drugs, illegal drugs in China, narcotics in Chinese, what is dupin, Chinese drug laws, say no to drugs in Chinese, addiction in Chinese, Opium Wars.
• Summary: Discover the full meaning of 毒品 (dú pǐn), the primary Chinese term for illegal drugs and narcotics. This guide is essential for understanding China's strict stance on drugs, a perspective deeply rooted in historical events like the Opium Wars. Learn how dú pǐn is used in the context of modern Chinese drug laws, public service announcements, and discussions about addiction, and understand why this word carries such a heavy cultural weight.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): dú pǐn
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: A general and serious term for illegal, addictive drugs or narcotics.
• In a Nutshell: 毒品 (dú pǐn) is the standard, unambiguous term for illicit substances like heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine. It is never used for medicine. The word itself translates to “poisonous products,” which reflects the extremely negative connotation it carries in Chinese society. Due to China's history and strict laws, this term is always used in a serious, condemnatory context, associated with crime, social harm, and personal ruin.

• 毒 (dú): This character's primary meaning is “poison,” “toxin,” or “venom.” It can also be used adjectivally to mean “malicious” or “cruel.” It immediately sets a harmful and dangerous tone.
• 品 (pǐn): This character means “product,” “goods,” or “item.” It's composed of three “mouth” radicals (口), originally suggesting tasting or assessment, which evolved to mean quality and then simply an article or product.

When combined, 毒品 (dú pǐn) literally means “poisonous products” or “toxic items.” This construction powerfully frames these substances as dangerous commodities that cause harm, leaving no room for neutral or positive interpretation.

The term 毒品 (dú pǐn) is inseparable from China's “Century of Humiliation” (百年国耻, bǎinián guóchǐ). The Opium Wars in the mid-19th century, where Britain forced China to accept opium trade, led to widespread addiction and social decay, and are seen as a national trauma. This history has forged a powerful, society-wide consensus that drugs are a foreign poison that can destroy the country.

• Comparison to Western Culture: In many Western countries, there are ongoing public debates about the legalization of certain drugs (like marijuana), the distinction between “hard” and “soft” drugs, and harm-reduction policies. In China, this nuance is largely absent from public discourse. 毒品 is treated as a monolithic category of absolute evil. The cultural value placed on social stability and collective well-being far outweighs arguments for individual liberty in this context. The government's zero-tolerance policy is widely supported as a necessary measure to protect society from the historical threat of chaos and decay associated with narcotics.

毒品 is used in formal and serious contexts. You will almost never hear it used casually.

• Legal and Media Contexts: News reports, legal documents, and police statements use 毒品 to refer to any illegal narcotic. The tone is always grave. For example, a news headline might read “Police Crack Down on a Major 毒品 Ring.”
• Educational and Public Service Announcements: This term is central to anti-drug campaigns. Slogans like “远离毒品, 珍爱生命” (yuǎnlí dúpǐn, zhēn'ài shēngmìng - Stay away from drugs, cherish life) are common in schools and public spaces.
• Personal Conversations: When discussing drug-related issues, using 毒品 signals the gravity of the topic. It's used to warn children, discuss news stories about drug trafficking, or talk about the dangers of addiction. It is not a word used lightly.

• Example 1:
• 毒品对个人健康和家庭幸福都有巨大的危害。
• Pinyin: Dú pǐn duì gèrén jiànkāng hé jiātíng xìngfú dōu yǒu jùdà de wēihài.
• English: Drugs are extremely harmful to both personal health and family happiness.
• Analysis: This is a typical formal statement you might see in a textbook or public announcement. It highlights the social harm of drugs.
• Example 2:
• 警察在边境查获了一批走私毒品。
• Pinyin: Jǐngchá zài biānjìng cháhuò le yī pī zǒusī dú pǐn.
• English: The police seized a batch of smuggled drugs at the border.
• Analysis: This sentence demonstrates the common use of 毒品 in the context of law enforcement and crime.
• Example 3:
• 年轻人一定要提高警惕，拒绝任何形式的毒品。
• Pinyin: Niánqīngrén yīdìng yào tígāo jǐngtì, jùjué rènhé xíngshì de dú pǐn.
• English: Young people must be vigilant and reject drugs in any form.
• Analysis: This is a classic example of an educational warning, emphasizing prevention and vigilance.
• Example 4:
• 他因为沾染毒品，不仅丢了工作，还失去了所有朋友。
• Pinyin: Tā yīnwèi zhānrǎn dú pǐn, bùjǐn diū le gōngzuò, hái shīqù le suǒyǒu péngyǒu.
• English: Because he got involved with drugs, he not only lost his job but also all his friends.
• Analysis: The verb 沾染 (zhānrǎn - to be contaminated with) is often used with 毒品 to describe the process of getting involved with drugs, highlighting its corrupting nature.
• Example 5:
• 打击毒品犯罪是全世界共同的责任。
• Pinyin: Dǎjī dú pǐn fànzuì shì quán shìjiè gòngtóng de zérèn.
• English: Fighting drug-related crime is a shared responsibility for the whole world.
• Analysis: This sentence places the issue in a global context, often seen in official government statements.
• Example 6:
• 在中国，贩卖毒品是可能被判处死刑的重罪。
• Pinyin: Zài Zhōngguó, fànmài dú pǐn shì kěnéng bèi pànchǔ sǐxíng de zhòngzuì.
• English: In China, trafficking drugs is a felony that can be punished by the death penalty.
• Analysis: This sentence directly addresses the severe legal consequences, reflecting China's zero-tolerance policy.
• Example 7:
• 这部电影讲述了一个关于毒品和救赎的故事。
• Pinyin: Zhè bù diànyǐng jiǎngshù le yī gè guānyú dú pǐn hé jiùshú de gùshì.
• English: This movie tells a story about drugs and redemption.
• Analysis: Shows how the term is used in media and art to describe the subject matter.
• Example 8:
• 鸦片曾是一种给中国带来深重灾难的毒品。
• Pinyin: Yāpiàn céng shì yī zhǒng gěi Zhōngguó dài lái shēnzhòng zāinàn de dú pǐn.
• English: Opium was once a drug that brought profound disaster to China.
• Analysis: This sentence explicitly links the general term 毒品 to its historical context with opium.
• Example 9:
• 他正在戒毒所里努力摆脱毒品的控制。
• Pinyin: Tā zhèngzài jièdúsuǒ lǐ nǔlì bǎituō dú pǐn de kòngzhì.
• English: He is in a rehabilitation center trying hard to break free from the control of drugs.
• Analysis: This sentence shows the use of 毒品 in the context of addiction and recovery (rehabilitation is 戒毒 - jièdú).
• Example 10:
• 这种新型毒品伪装成糖果，极具欺骗性。
• Pinyin: Zhè zhǒng xīnxíng dú pǐn wèizhuāng chéng tángguǒ, jí jù qīpiànxìng.
• English: This new type of drug is disguised as candy and is extremely deceptive.
• Analysis: A modern example you might hear in a warning about new synthetic drugs.

A critical mistake for learners is confusing 毒品 with other words related to “drugs” or “poison.”

• `毒品` (dú pǐn) vs. `药` (yào): This is the most important distinction. `药` (yào) is medicine. It's what a doctor prescribes or what you buy at a pharmacy for an illness. `毒品` is illegal narcotics.
• Incorrect: 我感冒了，需要吃点毒品。(Wǒ gǎnmào le, xūyào chī diǎn dú pǐn.) - “I have a cold, I need to take some illegal drugs.” (This sounds alarming and wrong).
• Correct: 我感冒了，需要吃点药。(Wǒ gǎnmào le, xūyào chī diǎn yào.) - “I have a cold, I need to take some medicine.”
• `毒品` (dú pǐn) vs. `毒药` (dúyào): `毒药` (dúyào) is poison—a substance used with the intent to kill or cause severe harm (e.g., arsenic, cyanide). While illegal drugs are poisonous, `毒品` specifically refers to addictive, psychoactive substances used for recreation. You use `毒药` to poison a rat, but a person gets addicted to `毒品`.

• 吸毒 (xī dú) - To use/take drugs (literally “to inhale poison”). This is the verb for the act of consuming drugs.
• 贩毒 (fàn dú) - To traffic/sell drugs. The verb for the crime of drug dealing.
• 毒贩 (dúfàn) - A drug dealer or trafficker. The person who commits the crime of 贩毒.
• 禁毒 (jìn dú) - To prohibit drugs. A term used in law and for anti-drug campaigns (e.g., 禁毒日 - Anti-Drug Day).
• 毒瘾 (dúyǐn) - Drug addiction.
• 戒毒 (jiè dú) - To quit drugs; drug rehabilitation.
• 缉毒 (jī dú) - To investigate and seize drugs (a police-specific term, as in 缉毒警察 - narcotics police).
• 鸦片 (yāpiàn) - Opium. A historically significant type of `毒品`.
• 海洛因 (hǎiluòyīn) - Heroin (a phonetic loanword).
• 冰毒 (bīngdú) - Methamphetamine (literally “ice poison”).