How to say "smoke" in Japanese

• 吸うすうJLPT N5approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbThe basic verb for a person smoking a cigarette or the like: it pictures drawing the smoke in, and outside smoking it also means to inhale or breathe something in.
  教室きょうしつでどうどうとタバコをすう高校生こうこうせいたちとそれを注意ちゅういできない教師きょうしたちは罰ばつを受うけることになります。↗

  High school students who flagrantly smoke in class and the teachers who can't caution them will be punished.
• 煙けむりJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounThe noun for smoke itself — the visible smoke or fumes given off by a fire, a cigarette, and the like. When English 'smoke' is a thing rather than an action, this is the word.
  エレベーターから煙けむりの臭においがします。↗

  I smell smoke in the elevator.
• ふかすCommon
  godan verb, transitive verbA verb for smoking a cigarette or pipe that pictures the puffing itself — drawing on it and blowing out smoke. Choose it when you want that vivid image of someone puffing away.
  私はパイプを吹ふかしながら座すわっていた。↗

  I sat smoking a pipe.
• 喫するきっするCommon
  suru verb (irregular), transitive verbGroups smoking with eating and drinking as ways of 'taking' something in. Its tone is formal and written, so it is seldom the verb you want for saying that someone smoked a cigarette.
• 煙るけむるJLPT N1approx.Common
  godan verb, intransitive verbDescribes a fire or something smoldering giving off smoke — the fire itself 'smokes'. It is not the verb for a person smoking; for that sense it is seldom the word you want.
  タバコで煙けむった空気くうきを部屋へやから出だして、新鮮しんせんな空気くうきを入いれてちょうだい。↗

  Let this smoky air out of the room and let some fresh air in.

For a person smoking use 「吸う」, or 「ふかす」 for a vivid image of puffing; 煙 is the noun for smoke itself, 「喫する」 a formal 'take' covering eating, drinking and smoking, and 「煙る」 a fire smoldering.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 吸うすうto breathe in
• 煙けむりsmoke
• ふかすto smoke (a cigarette, pipe, etc.)
• 喫するきっするto eat
• 煙るけむるto smoke (e.g. fire)
• スモークsmoke
• くすぶるto smoke
• 燻すいぶすto smoke (something)
• 燻べるくすべるto smoke
• くゆらすto smoke (e.g. a pipe)
• ヤニるto smoke (tobacco)
• もくるto smoke
• 喫むのむto smoke (tobacco)
• もくcigarette
• タバコを吸うタバコをすうto smoke a cigarette
• 喫すきっすto eat
• 噴煙ふんえん(eruption of) smoke
• 飲むのむto smoke (tobacco)
• やるto have (food, drink, etc.)