吹

• Physical action: a directed stream of breath (to blow or puff). Depending on context, this may be intended to either ignite/intensify or extinguish.
• Musical: the standard verb for playing wind instruments.
• Metaphorical: to brag or boast ("to inflate").

Primarily functions as a transitive verb. While often rendered as a noun in translation ("a puff" or "a blast"), it is almost always verbal in syntax.

Contrasts with 呼 (hū): while both involve exhalation, 吹 denotes a focused, directional jet of air, whereas 呼 typically refers to general exhalation, a shout, or a call.

• The metaphorical sense (bragging) is generally a later development; in early philosophical or ritual texts, the literal sense should be assumed unless social context strongly indicates vanity.
• Variant U+9FA1 is a scribal variant and does not signal a shift in meaning.