====== jièjiǔ: 戒酒 - To Quit Drinking (Alcohol), To Abstain from Alcohol, Sobriety ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **Keywords:** jiejiu, 戒酒, quit drinking Chinese, stop drinking alcohol in Chinese, abstain from alcohol, sobriety in Chinese, Chinese drinking culture, how to say quit drinking in Mandarin, give up alcohol.
  * **Summary:** Learn how to say "quit drinking" or "abstain from alcohol" in Chinese with the term **戒酒 (jièjiǔ)**. This comprehensive guide explores the meaning, cultural significance within Chinese drinking culture, and practical usage of **戒酒**. Discover how to express sobriety in Mandarin, from making a personal resolution to discussing health reasons for quitting alcohol, and understand why this decision can be more significant in China than in the West.
===== Core Meaning =====
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** jièjiǔ
  * **Part of Speech:** Verb-object phrase (functions as a verb)
  * **HSK Level:** HSK 4
  * **Concise Definition:** To abstain from or quit drinking alcoholic beverages.
  * **In a Nutshell:** **戒酒 (jièjiǔ)** is the direct and intentional act of giving up alcohol. The character `戒 (jiè)` implies breaking a habit or adhering to a rule, while `酒 (jiǔ)` means alcohol. Together, the term signifies a firm decision to stop drinking, usually for the long term, often due to health, family, or personal discipline. It's a stronger and more permanent statement than simply saying "I'm not drinking tonight."
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **戒 (jiè):** This character means "to guard against," "to give up (a bad habit)," or a "precept/vow." It's composed of `戈 (gē)`, a halberd or weapon, and `廾 (gǒng)`, representing two hands. You can picture it as "using a weapon to guard a boundary" or "holding fast to a rule," which perfectly captures the idea of self-control and prohibition.
  * **酒 (jiǔ):** This character means "alcohol" or "liquor." The left side is the "three drops of water" radical `氵(shuǐ)`, indicating it's a liquid. The right side `酉 (yǒu)` is an ancient pictograph of a wine jar. Together, they literally mean "liquid from a wine jar."
Combining them, **戒酒 (jièjiǔ)** literally translates to "guard against alcohol" or "vow to stop alcohol," creating the clear meaning of quitting drinking.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
In China, the decision to **戒酒** carries significant social weight due to the pervasive "drinking table culture" (酒桌文化 - jiǔzhuō wénhuà). Alcohol, particularly baijiu (白酒), is often central to business negotiations, social gatherings, and relationship-building (关系 - guānxi). Toasts are a structured way of showing respect, and one's drinking capacity (酒量 - jiǔliàng) can be seen as a measure of sincerity or manliness.
Therefore, announcing you are **戒酒** is not just a personal choice; it can be interpreted as a withdrawal from these important social rituals. While in Western cultures saying "I don't drink" is a common and easily accepted statement, in China it can sometimes require a more serious justification to avoid causing offense, especially in a business setting. The most accepted reasons are health-related, such as a doctor's explicit orders (医生说我必须戒酒 - The doctor said I must quit drinking). The decision is often seen as an act of great self-discipline and commitment to health or family, reflecting the value of well-being and responsibility.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
**戒酒** is a common term used in various contexts, from casual conversation to serious medical discussions.
  * **Health-Related Decisions:** This is the most common and socially acceptable reason. People often **戒酒** after a health scare or on a doctor's advice to manage conditions like high blood pressure or liver problems.
  * **Personal Resolutions:** It's frequently used when someone makes a lifestyle change, similar to a New Year's resolution. It implies a long-term commitment.
  * **Social Refusal:** While it can be used to refuse a drink at a banquet, it implies a permanent state. Using it suggests you have completely stopped drinking, not just for the evening. If you just don't want to drink on a particular occasion, it's better to say "我今天不喝酒" (wǒ jīntiān bù hējiǔ).
The term is neutral in connotation but the act itself is generally viewed positively as a sign of self-control and responsibility. It is used in both formal and informal settings.
===== Example Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:**
    * 为了健康，他决定**戒酒**。
    * Pinyin: Wèile jiànkāng, tā juédìng **jièjiǔ**.
    * English: For the sake of his health, he decided to quit drinking.
    * Analysis: This is a classic and very common reason given for **戒酒**. The phrase `为了 (wèile)...` means "for the purpose of..." or "for the sake of...".
  * **Example 2:**
    * 医生告诉他必须马上**戒酒**。
    * Pinyin: Yīshēng gàosù tā bìxū mǎshàng **jièjiǔ**.
    * English: The doctor told him he must quit drinking immediately.
    * Analysis: This sentence highlights the authority and seriousness behind the decision. `必须 (bìxū)` means "must," and `马上 (mǎshàng)` means "immediately," adding urgency.
  * **Example 3:**
    * 我爸爸**戒酒**已经五年了。
    * Pinyin: Wǒ bàba **jièjiǔ** yǐjīng wǔ nián le.
    * English: My dad has been sober for five years already.
    * Analysis: This structure `(action) + 已经 (yǐjīng) + (time duration) + 了 (le)` is used to state how long an action has been ongoing or how long it has been since an action was completed.
  * **Example 4:**
    * **戒酒**之后，我的身体好多了。
    * Pinyin: **Jièjiǔ** zhīhòu, wǒ de shēntǐ hǎo duō le.
    * English: After I quit drinking, my health got much better.
    * Analysis: `之后 (zhīhòu)` is a common way to say "after," connecting the cause (**戒酒**) with the effect (身体好多了 - health got much better).
  * **Example 5:**
    * 你为什么突然想**戒酒**了？
    * Pinyin: Nǐ wèishéme tūrán xiǎng **jièjiǔ** le?
    * English: Why did you suddenly want to quit drinking?
    * Analysis: A natural question to ask a friend. `突然 (tūrán)` means "suddenly," implying the decision was unexpected.
  * **Example 6:**
    * 他试了好几次**戒酒**，但都没有成功。
    * Pinyin: Tā shìle hǎo jǐ cì **jièjiǔ**, dàn dōu méiyǒu chénggōng.
    * English: He tried to quit drinking several times, but never succeeded.
    * Analysis: This sentence shows the difficulty of the process. `好几次 (hǎo jǐ cì)` means "quite a few times," and `但都 (dàn dōu)...` emphasizes that none of the attempts were successful.
  * **Example 7:**
    * 从今天起，我**戒酒**了！谁也别劝我！
    * Pinyin: Cóng jīntiān qǐ, wǒ **jièjiǔ** le! Shéi yě bié quàn wǒ!
    * English: Starting today, I'm quitting drinking! Nobody try to persuade me!
    * Analysis: A strong, declarative statement. `从...起 (cóng...qǐ)` means "starting from..." and `别劝我 (bié quàn wǒ)` is a command: "don't persuade me," often used to fend off the social pressure of `劝酒 (quànjiǔ)`.
  * **Example 8:**
    * 他不仅**戒酒**了，还把烟也戒了。
    * Pinyin: Tā bùjǐn **jièjiǔ** le, hái bǎ yān yě jiè le.
    * English: Not only did he quit drinking, he also quit smoking.
    * Analysis: The `不仅...还... (bùjǐn...hái...)` structure means "not only... but also..." It's perfect for talking about quitting multiple habits. Notice `戒烟 (jièyān)` is "to quit smoking."
  * **Example 9:**
    * 对不起大家，我最近在**戒酒**，今天只能以茶代酒了。
    * Pinyin: Duìbùqǐ dàjiā, wǒ zuìjìn zài **jièjiǔ**, jīntiān zhǐ néng yǐ chá dài jiǔ le.
    * English: Sorry everyone, I'm in the process of quitting drinking recently, so today I can only substitute tea for alcohol.
    * Analysis: A polite and effective way to decline alcohol at a social gathering. `以茶代酒 (yǐ chá dài jiǔ)` is a classic set phrase meaning "to use tea in place of alcohol," showing respect while abstaining.
  * **Example 10:**
    * **戒酒**最大的好处是头脑清醒了很多。
    * Pinyin: **Jièjiǔ** zuìdà de hǎochù shì tóunǎo qīngxǐng le hěn duō.
    * English: The biggest benefit of quitting drinking is that my mind is much clearer.
    * Analysis: `最大的好处是... (zuìdà de hǎochù shì...)` means "The biggest benefit is...". `头脑清醒 (tóunǎo qīngxǐng)` means "clear-headed."
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
  * **Permanent vs. Temporary:** The most common mistake for learners is using **戒酒** to mean "I'm not drinking tonight." **戒酒** implies a long-term, ongoing, or permanent state of abstention. If you are just refusing a drink for one specific occasion, you should say something else.
    * **Correct (Temporary):** 我今天开车，不能喝酒。(Wǒ jīntiān kāichē, bùnéng hējiǔ.) - "I'm driving today, so I can't drink."
    * **Correct (Permanent):** 我已经**戒酒**了。(Wǒ yǐjīng **jièjiǔ** le.) - "I have already quit drinking."
    * **Incorrect:** At a dinner party, someone offers you a beer and you say: 我**戒酒**。(Wǒ **jièjiǔ**.) This sounds very abrupt and overly serious, as if you are announcing a major life decision, when you just mean you don't want a drink right now.
  * **Action vs. State:** **戒酒** is the act of quitting. The state of being sober or abstinent doesn't have a single, direct equivalent to the English word "sobriety" as an abstract noun. Instead, you would describe the situation, e.g., "他戒酒五年了" (He has been sober for five years).
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * **[[喝酒]] (hējiǔ):** To drink alcohol. This is the direct action that one stops when they **戒酒**.
  * **[[戒烟]] (jièyān):** To quit smoking. A very common parallel concept, as smoking and drinking are often discussed together as habits to be quit.
  * **[[酒鬼]] (jiǔguǐ):** Lit. "alcohol ghost." An alcoholic or a drunkard. The type of person who is often advised to **戒酒**.
  * **[[酒量]] (jiǔliàng):** Alcohol tolerance/capacity. A key concept in Chinese drinking culture; having a high `酒量` is often seen as a social advantage.
  * **[[劝酒]] (quànjiǔ):** To urge or pressure someone to drink. This social act is a major reason why **戒酒** can be difficult in China.
  * **[[酒桌文化]] (jiǔzhuō wénhuà):** "Drinking table culture." The set of social norms and rituals surrounding drinking at banquets and business meals, which provides the context for **戒酒**.
  * **[[养生]] (yǎngshēng):** To nurture one's health; to live a healthy lifestyle. This is a primary motivation for many people to **戒酒**.
  * **[[忌口]] (jìkǒu):** To abstain from certain foods (due to medical, religious, or personal reasons). A similar concept of abstention, but usually applied to food.