What is the difference between "禁煙" and "禁厭"?

"禁煙" means "no smoking, non-smoking" (N4), whereas "禁厭" represents "magical incantation to ward off evil" (C2).

Kanji Homophone Battle

Pronunciation Trap: "きんえん (kin'en)"

Same sound, completely different Kanji! Choose the right conceptual writing.

Kanji Option A

きんえん (kin'en)

N4 / CEFR

Kanji Option B

きんえん (kin'en)

C2 / CEFR

In Japanese, many words share the exact same pronunciation "きんえん (kin'en)" but are written with different Kanji, changing the meaning entirely.

禁煙 (Level: N4): Translates to "no smoking, non-smoking" and is used when Commonly seen on signs in public places.
禁厭 (Level: C2): Maps to "magical incantation to ward off evil" and carries the nuance of Essential structural term in CEFR C2 vocabulary syllabus..

Mixing these up can easily result in unnatural writing. Look at the bilingual context cards below to master the conceptual boundaries!

Bilingual Context for "禁煙"

このカフェは店内が禁煙です。

This cafe is non-smoking inside.

Bilingual Context for "禁厭"

私は禁厭に興味があります。

I am interested in magical incantation to ward off evil.

Which Kanji perfectly fits this blank space?

Which Kanji perfectly fits the blank: "このカフェは店内が＿＿＿です。" (Meaning: "This cafe is non-smoking inside.")

🎉 Correct Answer!

Correct! "禁煙" is used for "no smoking, non-smoking" in the context: "This cafe is non-smoking inside.".