Ask Difference

Hookah vs. Bong — What's the Difference?

By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on September 3, 2023
A Hookah is a water pipe with multiple hoses for smoking flavored tobacco called "shisha," while a Bong is a water-filtered pipe primarily used for cannabis.

Difference Between Hookah and Bong

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Key Differences

In terms of health, neither method can be said to be entirely safe. While the water in both the Hookah and Bong may filter out some harmful substances, it does not make the practice risk-free. Both devices involve inhaling combusted material, and long-term use can carry health risks.
Tayyaba Rehman
Sep 03, 2023
In contrast, a Bong is a device mainly associated with the smoking of cannabis. Originating from ancient Southeast Asia, Bongs have become popular worldwide. The Bong also uses water to cool and filter the smoke, but it typically has a singular stem. When using a Bong, the user lights the cannabis placed in a small bowl, and the smoke is drawn through the water and then inhaled directly.
Tayyaba Rehman
Sep 03, 2023
Another distinguishing factor is the substance smoked. Hookahs are often used for smoking flavored tobacco mixtures, which can contain fruit, molasses, and other flavor enhancers. These mixtures provide a flavorful and aromatic experience. On the other hand, Bongs are specifically designed for smoking cannabis, providing an intense and direct experience of the herb.
Tayyaba Rehman
Sep 03, 2023
The Hookah, also known as a narghile or shisha, has its roots in ancient India and Persia. This traditional water pipe is designed primarily for smoking flavored tobacco, known as "shisha" or "maassel." The Hookah consists of a base filled with water, a bowl for the tobacco, and one or more hoses from which users draw the smoke. The smoke from the burning tobacco travels through the water, cooling and filtering it before being inhaled.
Tayyaba Rehman
Sep 03, 2023
Both Hookah and Bong are popular in various cultures, often seen as social instruments. The Hookah is prevalent in Middle Eastern cultures and is commonly found in cafes and social gathering places where people come together to converse and smoke. Meanwhile, the Bong, especially in Western cultures, has been popularized more as a personal or shared instrument among cannabis users.
Tayyaba Rehman
Sep 03, 2023
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Comparison Chart

Origin

Ancient India and Persia
Ancient Southeast Asia
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Sep 03, 2023

Primary Use

Smoking flavored tobacco (shisha)
Smoking cannabis
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Sep 03, 2023

Design

Multiple hoses, water base, tobacco bowl
Singular stem, water base, cannabis bowl
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Sep 03, 2023

Cultural Association

Middle Eastern cafes and gatherings
Popularized in Western cultures for cannabis consumption
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Sep 03, 2023

Health Concerns

Risks from tobacco and combustion
Risks from cannabis and combustion
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Sep 03, 2023
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Definitions

Hookah

The Hookah uses water to cool and filter the tobacco smoke.
The bubbles in the Hookah base indicated that the water was filtering the smoke.
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Sep 03, 2023

Bong

The Bong's design allows for direct inhalation of cooled smoke.
She added ice to the Bong for an even smoother hit.
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Sep 03, 2023

Hookah

A Hookah is a traditional water pipe used for smoking flavored tobacco.
They spent the evening at a café, smoking a fruit-flavored Hookah.
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Sep 03, 2023

Bong

Bongs utilize water to both cool and somewhat purify the smoke.
Cleaning the Bong water regularly ensures a cleaner smoke.
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Sep 03, 2023

Hookah

Originating in ancient times, Hookahs are popular in Middle Eastern cultures.
The Hookah lounge downtown offers a variety of shisha flavors.
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Sep 03, 2023

Bong

A Bong is a water-filtered pipe primarily designed for cannabis consumption.
He purchased a new glass Bong for his collection.
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Sep 03, 2023

Hookah

Smoking Hookah is often a communal activity in social settings.
They set up a Hookah in the center as everyone gathered around.
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Sep 03, 2023

Bong

Bongs come in various sizes and artistic designs.
The hand-crafted Bong displayed intricate patterns and colors.
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Sep 03, 2023

Hookah

With its intricate design, a Hookah can have multiple hoses for shared use.
We ordered a dual-hose Hookah for our group.
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Sep 03, 2023

Bong

Using a Bong enhances the intensity of the cannabis experience.
Many prefer using a Bong for its potent effects.
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Sep 03, 2023

Hookah

A hookah (Hindustani: حقّہ (Nastaleeq), हुक़्क़ा (Devanagari), IPA: [ˈɦʊqːa]; also see other names), or shisha, is a single- or multi-stemmed instrument for heating or vaporizing and then smoking either tobacco, flavored tobacco (often Mu‘assel), or sometimes cannabis, hashish, and in the past opium. The smoke is passed through a water basin—often glass-based—before inhalation.The health risks of smoking through a hookah include exposure to toxic chemicals that are not filtered out by the water and risk of infectious disease when hookahs are shared.The hookah or waterpipe was invented by Abu’l-Fath Gilani, a Persian physician of Akbar, in the Indian city of Fatehpur Sikri during Mughal India; the hookah spread from the Indian subcontinent to Persia first, where the mechanism was modified to its current shape, and then to the Near East.
Tayyaba Rehman
Mar 25, 2018

Bong

A bong (also known as a water pipe) is a filtration device generally used for smoking cannabis, tobacco, or other herbal substances. In the bong shown in the photo, the gas flows from the lower port on the left to the upper port on the right.
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Mar 25, 2018

Hookah

An oriental tobacco pipe with a long, flexible tube which draws the smoke through water contained in a bowl.
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Mar 25, 2018

Bong

A low-pitched, resonant sound of the kind made by a large bell
The clock had struck the hour and it was only three bongs
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Mar 25, 2018

Hookah

A pipe traditionally used for smoking flavored tobacco in which tobacco is placed in a bowl and heated with burning charcoal, producing smoke that is drawn through an urn of water that cools it and then into a long tube with an attached mouthpiece. In some modern versions, the charcoal-heated bowl is replaced with a battery-powered vaporizer containing a liquid mixture similar to that used in an e-cigarette. Also called hubble-bubble, narghile, shisha.
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Mar 25, 2018

Bong

A water pipe used for smoking cannabis or other drugs.
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Mar 25, 2018

Hookah

An e-cigarette or a vaporizer pen. Also called hookah pen.
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Mar 25, 2018

Bong

A large piton.
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Mar 25, 2018

Hookah

(recreational inhalants) Smoking A pipe with a long flexible tube that draws the smoke through water, traditionally used for smoking tobacco, which is often flavored.
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Mar 25, 2018

Bong

(especially of a bell) emit a low-pitched, resonant sound.
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Mar 25, 2018

Hookah

(diving) A tank-less surface air compressor pump and umbilical piping system that supplies air to a diving mask
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Mar 25, 2018

Bong

A deep ringing sound, as of a bell.
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Mar 25, 2018

Hookah

A pipe with a long, flexible stem, so arranged that the smoke is cooled by being made to pass through water. Also called narghile and water pipe. The hubble-bubble is a simple form of this device.
Tayyaba Rehman
Mar 25, 2018

Bong

A water pipe that consists of a bottle or a vertical tube partially filled with liquid and a smaller tube ending in a bowl, used often in smoking narcotic substances.
Tayyaba Rehman
Mar 25, 2018

Hookah

An oriental tobacco pipe with a long flexible tube connected to a container where the smoke is cooled by passing through water;
A bipolar world with the hookah and Turkish coffee versus hamburgers and Coca Cola
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Mar 25, 2018

Bong

To cause to sound with a deep ringing noise.
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Mar 25, 2018

Bong

To make a deep ringing noise.
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Mar 25, 2018

Bong

(slang) The clang of a large bell.
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Mar 25, 2018

Bong

(slang) Doorbell chimes. en
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Mar 25, 2018

Bong

A vessel, usually made of glass or ceramic and filled with water, used in smoking various substances; especially marijuana.
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Mar 25, 2018

Bong

An act of smoking one serving of drugs from a bong.
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Mar 25, 2018

Bong

A device for rapidly consuming beer, usually consisting of a funnel or reservoir of beer and a length of tubing.
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Mar 25, 2018

Bong

(ethnic slur) An Australian Aboriginal person.
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Bong

(slang) To pull a bell.
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Bong

(slang) To ring a doorbell.
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Bong

To smoke a bong.
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Mar 25, 2018

Bong

Ring loudly and deeply;
The big bell bonged
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Mar 25, 2018

FAQs

What's the main difference between a Hookah and a Bong?

A Hookah is designed for flavored tobacco with multiple hoses, while a Bong is for cannabis with a singular stem.
Tayyaba Rehman
Sep 03, 2023

Where did Hookahs originate?

Hookahs originated in ancient India and Persia.
Tayyaba Rehman
Sep 03, 2023

Are there health risks associated with using a Hookah?

Yes, smoking Hookah carries health risks similar to smoking cigarettes, including exposure to tobacco and combustion byproducts.
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Sep 03, 2023

What is a Bong primarily used for?

A Bong is primarily used for smoking cannabis.
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Sep 03, 2023

How often should Bong water be changed?

Ideally, after each use to ensure clean and smooth hits.
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Sep 03, 2023

Are Bongs illegal?

In many places, Bongs are considered drug paraphernalia and are illegal unless used or sold strictly for tobacco use.
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Sep 03, 2023

Is Hookah smoking as harmful as cigarette smoking?

One session of Hookah can be equivalent to smoking several cigarettes, making it potentially harmful.
Tayyaba Rehman
Sep 03, 2023

What is a Hookah?

A Hookah is a traditional water pipe used mainly for smoking flavored tobacco known as shisha.
Tayyaba Rehman
Sep 03, 2023

How do you clean a Hookah?

Using brushes, warm water, and sometimes lemon juice or baking soda to scrub the interior parts.
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Sep 03, 2023

Is a Bong considered safer than other smoking methods?

While a Bong may filter some harmful substances through water, smoking cannabis still carries risks.
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Sep 03, 2023

Are Hookahs only used for tobacco?

Primarily yes, but some people may use them for other substances, which can be more harmful.
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Sep 03, 2023

Which provides a more intense experience, Bong or Hookah?

Generally, a Bong provides a more intense experience due to the direct inhalation of cannabis smoke.
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Sep 03, 2023

Can you add flavors to a Bong like in a Hookah?

While you can't add flavors directly, flavored water or using flavored cannabis can alter the taste.
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Sep 03, 2023

How does the water in a Bong and Hookah function?

In both, the water cools and filters the smoke, making it smoother to inhale.
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Sep 03, 2023

Can you add ice to a Bong?

Yes, adding ice can further cool the smoke, making for a smoother hit.
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Sep 03, 2023

Author Spotlight

Written by
Tayyaba Rehman
Tayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.

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