戒酒 (jiè jiǔ) literally means 'to戒 (abstain from, renounce) + 酒 (alcohol)' — it is a verb meaning to stop drinking alcoholic beverages entirely, usually for health, medical, or personal reasons. Unlike casual moderation, 戒酒 implies a deliberate, sustained commitment to complete abstinence, often associated with recovery from alcohol dependence or lifestyle changes.

This term is commonly used in healthcare contexts, public health campaigns, and personal narratives about sobriety. It carries a formal and serious tone, and is rarely used for temporary or situational avoidance (e.g., not drinking during pregnancy is usually described as '不喝酒' or '避免饮酒', not 戒酒). The compound is inseparable: you cannot insert modifiers between 戒 and 酒, and it functions as a single verbal unit in sentences.