noun
smoke signals
Historical term for smoke signals used in ancient warfare, often alongside beacon fires (狼煙).
See also: 狼煙
古代中国では、烽煙を使って敵の襲来を知らせた。
In ancient China, smoke signals were used to warn of enemy attacks.
狼煙 refers specifically to beacon fires (often with smoke), while 烽煙 emphasizes the smoke signal aspect. Both are used in historical military contexts.
Compound of 烽 (signal fire) and 煙 (smoke), referring to smoke-based signaling in ancient East Asian warfare.