‘叼烟’ is a verb meaning to hold a cigarette between the lips—not lit, not inhaled, just gripped loosely with the mouth. The character 叼 (diāo) means ‘to hold in the mouth’—often used for animals carrying objects (e.g., a dog叼着骨头), but in colloquial human usage, it conveys a casual, sometimes cool or nonchalant posture. 烟 (yān) simply means ‘cigarette’ or ‘tobacco smoke’. Together, 叼烟 evokes a visual image of someone with a cigarette dangling from their lips, often suggesting relaxation, confidence, or mild rebellion.

This expression is common in descriptive writing and dialogue, especially in literature, film subtitles, or informal speech. It’s more vivid and stylistic than neutral alternatives like ‘拿着香烟’ (holding a cigarette) or ‘吸香烟’ (smoking a cigarette). While not inherently negative, it may carry subtle connotations of carefreeness—or, depending on context, indifference or machismo. It’s rarely used in formal or health-related discourse, where terms like ‘吸烟’ (smoking) dominate.