煙突

えんとつ

chimney

JLPT N2

Character Breakdown

Meaning and Usage

The word 煙突 (えんとつ) means "chimney" in English. It refers to the vertical pipe or structure that vents smoke or gases from a fireplace, stove, or factory.

Common Contexts

You will often hear 煙突 used when talking about houses in winter, factories, or any place where smoke needs to be vented outside. It is a concrete noun and usually appears in everyday conversation or written descriptions related to heating or industrial settings.

Collocations and Patterns

  • 煙突から煙が出る: smoke comes out of the chimney, a common phrase describing normal function or pollution.
  • 煙突掃除 (えんとつそうじ): chimney cleaning, an important maintenance task.
  • 家の煙突: house chimney, often mentioned in seasonal contexts.

Register and Nuance

This word is neutral and used in both formal and informal contexts. It is a standard noun without any particular politeness level.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse 煙突 with similar words like 薪 (まき, firewood) or 炉 (ろ, hearth). Remember 煙突 specifically means the chimney structure, not the fire or fuel itself.

Example Sentences

ふゆになると、いえのえんとつからけむりがあがるのがみえます。

In winter, you can see smoke rising from the house's chimney.

えんとつそうじはあんぜんにちゅういしておこなってください。

Please be careful and perform chimney cleaning safely.

こうじょうのえんとつからくろいけむりがでているのをみて、かんきょうもんだいをかんがえた。

Seeing black smoke coming out of the factory chimney made me think about environmental issues.