火

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word 火. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word 火, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say 火 in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word 火 you have here. The definition of the word 火 will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of火, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
火 U+706B, 火
CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-706B
← 灪
 		CJK Unified Ideographs 灬 →
⽕ U+2F55, ⽕
KANGXI RADICAL FIRE
← ⽔
 		Kangxi Radicals ⽖ →

Translingual

Stroke order

Alternative forms

  • 灬 (when used as a bottom Chinese radical)

Han character

Stroke order
4 strokes

火 (Kangxi radical 86, 火+0, 4 strokes, cangjie input 火 (F), four-corner 90800, composition ⿻⿰丿丿人(GJKV) or ⿻丷人(HT))

  1. Kangxi radical #86, ⽕.

Derived characters

References

  • Kangxi Dictionary: page 665, character 1
  • Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 18850
  • Dae Jaweon: page 1073, character 19
  • Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 3, page 2187, character 1
  • Unihan data for U+706B

Chinese

trad. 火
simp. # 火

Glyph origin

Characters in the same phonetic series (火) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 
Old Chinese
火 *qʰʷaːlʔ
邩 *qʰʷaːlʔ
伙 *qʰʷaːlʔ

Pictogram (象形) – pictographic representation of a fire. Written as 灬 when at the bottom of a character, but still seen in the original form in the character 灸.

Etymology

    Possibly from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *mej (Schuessler 2007; STEDT). However, see there for phonological problems.

    Pronunciation

    Note:
    • huōi - colloquial;
    • huō - literary.
    Note:
    • hue3 - vernacular;
    • hor3 - literary.
    Note:
    • hé/hér/hóe - vernacular;
    • hóⁿ - literary.
    Note:
    • hue2 - vernacular;
    • ho2 - literary.
    Rime
    Character 火
    Reading # 1/1
    Initial (聲) 曉 (32)
    Final (韻) 戈 (95)
    Tone (調) Rising (X)
    Openness (開合) Closed
    Division (等) I
    Fanqie 呼果切
    Baxter xwaX
    Reconstructions
    Zhengzhang
    Shangfang         		/huɑX/
    Pan
    Wuyun         		/huɑX/
    Shao
    Rongfen         		/xuɑX/
    Edwin
    Pulleyblank         		/hwaX/
    Li
    Rong         		/xuɑX/
    Wang
    Li         		/xuɑX/
    Bernhard
    Karlgren         		/xuɑX/
    Expected
    Mandarin
    Reflex         		huǒ
    Expected
    Cantonese
    Reflex         		fo2
    Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
    Character 火
    Reading # 1/1
    Modern
    Beijing
    (Pinyin)         		huǒ
    Middle
    Chinese         		‹ xwaX ›
    Old
    Chinese         		/*ˁəjʔ/
    English fire

    Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system:

    * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence;
    * Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. * as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p;
    * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix;
    * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary;

    * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.
    Zhengzhang system (2003)
    Character 火
    Reading # 1/1
    No. 5540
    Phonetic
    component         		火
    Rime
    group         		歌
    Rime
    subdivision         		1
    Corresponding
    MC rime         		火
    Old
    Chinese         		/*qʰʷaːlʔ/

    Definitions

    火

    1. fire; flame
      可以跟你借一個火嗎？ [MSC, trad.]
      可以跟你借一个火吗？ [MSC, simp.]
      Kěyǐ gēn nǐ jiè yīge huǒ ma?
      Can I borrow a light?
    2. fire (as a disaster); inferno
    3. red; fiery; bright; brilliant
    4. to burn down
    5. light; torch
    6. (dialectal) light; lamp
    7. anger; rage; wrath
    8. to become enraged
    9. angry; furious
    10. (traditional Chinese medicine) internal heat
      上火  ―  shànghuǒ  ―  inflammation
    11. firearm; ammunition; weapon
    12. war; warfare
    13. thriving; brisk
    14. urgent; pressing
    15. (neologism) to become popular; to go viral
    16. (neologism) to be popular; to be viral
      此帖必火  ―  cǐ tiě bì huǒ  ―  This post will definitely go viral
    17. (Cantonese) watt (unit of power)
      ※Definitely, "火" here is a unit of brightness (luminous intensity). However, the brightness of a luminous device is measured in watts in life because of luminous intensity's dependence on power, which resulted in it being bonded to watt, the unit of power.
      20火嘅燈膽／20火嘅灯胆 [Cantonese]  ―  20 fo2 ge3 dang1 daam2   ―  20-watt lightbulb
    18. Short for 火星 (Huǒxīng, “Mars”).
    19. (Cantonese) roasted
      Synonyms: 烤 (kǎo), 燒／烧 (shāo)
      火鴨／火鸭 [Cantonese]  ―  fo2 aap3   ―  roasted duck

    Synonyms

    Dialectal synonyms of 火 (“fire”)
    Variety Location Words
    Classical Chinese 火
    Formal (Written Standard Chinese) 火
    Northeastern Mandarin Beijing 火
    Taiwan 火
    Chengde 火
    Chifeng 火
    Hulunbuir (Hailar) 火
    Heihe 火
    Qiqihar 火
    Harbin 火
    Jiamusi 火
    Baicheng 火
    Changchun 火
    Tonghua 火
    Shenyang 火
    Jinzhou 火
    Singapore 火
    Olginsky (Mikhaylovka) 火
    Jilu Mandarin Tianjin 火
    Tangshan 火
    Cangzhou 火
    Baoding 火
    Shijiazhuang 火
    Lijin 火
    Jinan 火
    Jiaoliao Mandarin Dalian 火
    Dandong 火
    Yantai 火
    Qingdao 火
    Central Plains Mandarin Lingbao 火
    Jining 火
    Wanrong 火
    Linfen 火
    Shangqiu 火
    Yuanyang 火
    Xinyang 火
    Baihe 火
    Xi'an 火
    Baoji 火
    Tianshui 火
    Xining 火
    Xuzhou 火
    Fuyang 火
    Sokuluk (Gansu Dungan) 火
    Lanyin Mandarin Yinchuan 火
    Lanzhou 火
    Dunhuang 火
    Hami 火
    Ürümqi 火
    Southwestern Mandarin Chengdu 火
    Nanchong 火
    Dazhou 火
    Hanyuan 火
    Xichang 火
    Zigong 火
    Chongqing 火
    Wuhan 火
    Yichang 火
    Xiangyang 火
    Tianmen 火
    Guiyang 火
    Zunyi 火
    Bijie 火
    Liping 火
    Zhaotong 火
    Dali 火
    Kunming 火
    Mengzi 火
    Guilin 火
    Liuzhou 火
    Jishou 火
    Changde 火
    Hanzhong 火
    Dagudi (Maliba) 火
    Reshuitang (Longling) 火
    Mae Salong (Lancang) 火
    Mae Sai (Tengchong) 火
    Jianghuai Mandarin Nanjing 火
    Yangzhou 火
    Lianyungang 火
    Lianshui 火
    Nantong 火
    Anqing 火
    Wuhu 火
    Hefei 火
    Hong'an 火
    Cantonese Guangzhou 火
    Hong Kong 火
    Taishan (Guanghai) 火
    Wuzhou 火
    Qinzhou (Xiniujiao) 火
    Beihai 火
    Beihai (Qiaogang - Cô Tô) 火
    Beihai (Qiaogang - Cát Bà) 火
    Fangchenggang (Fangcheng) 火
    Sanya (Yanglan Maihua) 火
    Singapore (Guangfu) 火
    Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu) 火
    Móng Cái 火
    Mandalay (Taishan) 火
    Gan Nanchang 火
    Hakka Meixian 火
    Changting 火
    Miaoli (N. Sixian) 火
    Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) 火
    Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) 火
    Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) 火
    Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) 火
    Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) 火
    Huizhou Jixi 火
    Shexian 火
    Jin Taiyuan 火
    Yangyuan 火
    Datong 火
    Xinzhou 火
    Lüliang (Lishi) 火
    Changzhi 火
    Linhe 火
    Hohhot 火
    Baotou 火
    Erenhot 火
    Pingshan 火
    Zhangjiakou 火
    Handan 火
    Linzhou 火
    Suide 火
    Eastern Min Fuzhou 火
    Southern Min Xiamen 火
    Quanzhou 火
    Zhangzhou 火
    Tainan 火
    Singapore (Hokkien) 火
    Manila (Hokkien) 火
    Leizhou 火
    Wu Shanghai (Chongming) 火
    Suzhou 火
    Hangzhou 火
    Hangzhou (Fuyang) 火
    Shaoxing 火
    Wenzhou 火
    Jinhua 火
    Xiang Changsha 火
    Xiangxiang 火
    Loudi 火
    Hengyang 火
    Dialectal synonyms of 燈 (“lamp; light”)
    Variety Location Words
    Formal (Written Standard Chinese) 燈
    Northeastern Mandarin Taiwan 燈
    Malaysia 燈
    Singapore 燈
    Central Plains Mandarin Xi'an 燈
    Sokuluk (Gansu Dungan) 燈
    Southwestern Mandarin Chengdu 亮
    Guilin 燈
    Cantonese Guangzhou 燈
    Hong Kong 燈
    Taishan 燈, 火
    Singapore (Guangfu) 燈, 火
    Gan Nanchang 燈
    Hakka Meixian 燈
    Miaoli (N. Sixian) 燈, 火
    Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) 燈, 火
    Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) 燈, 火
    Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) 燈, 火
    Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) 燈, 火
    Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) 燈, 火
    Kuching (Hepo) 燈
    Jin Taiyuan 燈
    Eastern Min Fuzhou 燈
    Southern Min Xiamen 燈
    Penang (Hokkien) 燈, 火
    Singapore (Hokkien) 火
    Manila (Hokkien) 火, 燈
    Singapore (Teochew) 火, 燈
    Waxiang Guzhang (Gaofeng) 燈
    Wu Suzhou 燈
    Ningbo 燈, 亮 dated
    Wenzhou 燈
    Xiang Changsha 燈, 亮
    Xiangxiang 燈
    Dialectal synonyms of 瓦特 (“watt”)
    Variety Location Words
    Formal (Written Standard Chinese) 瓦特, 瓦
    Northeastern Mandarin Taiwan 瓦
    Southwestern Mandarin Wuhan 支光
    Guiyang 支光, 瓦
    Guilin 瓦
    Dagudi (Maliba) 瓦
    Reshuitang (Longling) 瓦
    Mae Salong (Lancang) 瓦
    Mae Sai (Tengchong) 瓦
    Cantonese Guangzhou 火, 𡆇
    Hong Kong 火, 𡆇
    Taishan (Guanghai) 瓦
    Beihai 瓦
    Beihai (Qiaogang - Cô Tô) 瓦, 火
    Beihai (Qiaogang - Cát Bà) 瓦
    Fangchenggang (Fangcheng) 瓦
    Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu) 瓦
    Móng Cái 瓦
    Mandalay (Taishan) 度
    Hakka Meixian 𡆇
    Southern Min Shantou 瓦
    Wu Hangzhou 支光
    Ningbo 支光
    • (internal heat (traditional Chinese medicine)):

    Compounds

    Descendants

    Sino-Xenic (火):
    • → Japanese: 火(か) (ka)
    • → Korean: 화(火) (hwa)
    • → Vietnamese: hoả (火)

    References

    Japanese

    Kanji

    火

    (First grade kyōiku kanji)

    Readings

    Compounds

    Compounds

    Etymology 1

    Japanese Wikipedia has an article on:
    Wikipedia ja
    English Wikipedia has an article on:
    Wikipedia
    火 (hi, ho, ka): fire.
    Kanji in this term
    火
    ひ
    Grade: 1
    kun'yomi

    ⟨pi2⟩ → */pʷɨ/ → /ɸi/ → /hi/

    From Old Japanese,[1] from Proto-Japonic *poy.

    Apophonic form of ho (see below). Compare 木 (ki, ko-, “tree”).

    Alternative forms

    Pronunciation

    Noun

    火(ひ) • (hi) 

    1. a fire:
      1. a flame
        Synonyms: 火気 (kaki), ファイア (faia), 炎 (honō)
      2. cooking fire
      3. a firestarter
      4. sparks
      5. light (matches or lighter)
        火(ひ)を貸(か)してもらえる？
        Hi o kashite moraeru?
        Can I borrow a light?
      6. heat
        Synonyms: 火熱 (kanetsu), 熱 (netsu)
      7. a conflagration
        Synonyms: 火災 (kasai), 火事 (kaji)
      8. a signal fire
        Synonym: 狼煙 (noroshi)
    2. (by extension) a light
    3. a burning passion
    4. menstruation
      Synonym: 月経 (gekkei)
    Derived terms
    Derived terms
    Idioms

    Etymology 2

    Kanji in this term
    火
    ほ
    Grade: 1
    kun'yomi

    /po/ → /ɸo/ → /ho/

    From Old Japanese.[1]

    Combining form of hi above. Probably the oldest form, possibly cognate with Korean 불 (bul, “fire”).

    Pronunciation

    Noun

    火(ほ) • (ho) 

    1. a fire
    Derived terms
    Derived terms

    Etymology 3

    火 (ka): fire in the Wuxing (Chinese philosophy) system
    火 (Ka): Antares in the Scorpio constellation
    Kanji in this term
    火
    か
    Grade: 1
    on'yomi

    /kwa/ → /ka/

    From Middle Chinese 火 (MC xwaX).[1]

    Pronunciation

    Noun

    火(か) • (ka) ←くわ (kwa)?

    1. a fire
    2. one of the five classical elements in traditional Chinese philosophy and medicine: see Wu Xing on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
    3. (historical) under the old 律令 (Ritsuryō) system of ancient Japan, a military grouping, consisting of 10 soldiers: a squad
      Synonym: 分隊 (buntai)
    4. Short for 火曜日 (kayōbi): Tuesday
    Derived terms

    Affix

    火(か) • (ka) ←くわ (kwa)?

    1. fire
    2. light
    3. burning
    4. passion
    5. imminently
    6. explosive

    Proper noun

    火(か) • (Ka) ←くわ (Kwa)?

    1. Antares, in the constellation Scorpio
      Synonyms: アンタレス (Antaresu), 大火 (Taika)

    References

    1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典（新装版） (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
    2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN

    Korean

    Etymology

    From Middle Chinese 火 (MC xwaX).

    Historical Readings
    Dongguk Jeongun Reading
    Dongguk Jeongun, 1448 황〯 (Yale: hwǎ)
    Middle Korean
    Text Eumhun
    Gloss (hun) Reading
    Hunmong Jahoe, 1527 블〮 (Yale: púl) 화〯 (Yale: hwǎ)

    Pronunciation

    • (in {{ko-l|1=화요|2=火曜}}):
    • (fire; anger; etc.):
      • (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA(key):
      • Phonetic hangul:
        • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

    Hanja

    Korean Wikisource has texts containing the hanja:

    Wikisource

    火 (eumhun 불 화 (bul hwa))

    1. hanja form? of 화 (“fire; heat”)
    2. hanja form? of 화 (“anger”)
    3. hanja form? of 화 (“(as an abbreviation) Mars”)
    4. hanja form? of 화 (“Short for 화요일(火曜日) (hwayoil, “Tuesday”).”)

    Compounds

    Compounds

    References

    • 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典.

    Old Japanese

    Etymology 1

    From Proto-Japonic *poy.

    Apophonic form of po1 (see below).

    Compare the development of 木 (ki2, ko2-, “tree”).

    Noun

    火 (pi2) (kana ひ)

    1. a fire
    2. (by extension) a light
    Derived terms
    Descendants

    Etymology 2

    Combining form of pi2 above, probably the older form.

    Noun

    火 (po1 → po) (kana ほ)

    1. a fire
    Derived terms
    Descendants
    • Japanese: 火 (ho)

    Etymology 3

    Appears in only one poem in the Man'yōshū (c. 759 CE) as a compound, see derived term 葦火 (asipu).

    According to Vovin (2011) p. 222, this is the vowel raising of the nucleus of Proto-Japonic *poy to *puy, followed by deletion of the *-y consonant.

    Noun

    火 (pu) (kana ふ)

    1. (regional, Central Eastern Old Japanese) a fire
    Derived terms

    Vietnamese

    Han character

    火: Hán Việt readings: hỏa/hoả[1][2][3]
    火: Nôm readings: hỏa/hoả[2][3][4][5], ỏa/oả[1]

    1. chữ Hán form of hoả (“fire”).

    Compounds

    References

    1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Nguyễn (2014).
    2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Nguyễn et al. (2009).
    3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Trần (2004).
    4. ^ Bonet (1899).
    5. ^ Génibrel (1898).
    Wikious
    Boobota
    Sagapedia