(ぶんえん)

ぶんえん
noun
separation of smoking and non-smoking areas
1. separation of smoking and non-smoking areas
The practice of designating separate areas for smokers and non-smokers in restaurants, offices, and public spaces. A key concept in Japanese public health policy.
この(みせ)分煙(ぶんえん)です。
This restaurant has separate smoking and non-smoking areas.
職場(しょくば)分煙(ぶんえん)対策(たいさく)(すす)んでいる。
Smoking area separation measures are advancing in the workplace.
以前(いぜん)分煙(ぶんえん)主流(しゅりゅう)だったが、最近(さいきん)全面禁煙(ぜんめんきんえん)施設(しせつ)()えている。
Separation of smoking areas used to be the norm, but recently more facilities have gone completely smoke-free.

A compound of (ぶん) (divide/separate) and (えん) (smoke). Refers to the policy of physically separating smoking and non-smoking areas rather than banning smoking entirely.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 分煙(ぶんえん)対策(たいさく): smoking separation measures
  • 分煙(ぶんえん)スペース: separated smoking space
  • 完全(かんぜん)分煙(ぶんえん): complete separation of smoking areas
  • 分煙(ぶんえん)(すす)む: smoking separation progresses

RELATED TERMS:

  • 禁煙(きんえん): no smoking / quitting smoking
  • 喫煙(きつえん): smoking
  • 全面禁煙(ぜんめんきんえん): complete smoking ban
  • 受動喫煙(じゅどうきつえん): passive smoking / secondhand smoke

CULTURAL CONTEXT:
Japan has gradually tightened smoking regulations. The 2020 改正健康増進法(かいせいけんこうぞうしんほう) (Revised Health Promotion Act) significantly expanded indoor smoking bans, making 分煙(ぶんえん) less common as many establishments shifted to 全面禁煙(ぜんめんきんえん).