导火线

導火線

dǎohuǒxiàn

noun #24,424

Measure Word

一条导火线 tiáo

Meanings

1 fuse (for explosives)
2 (figurative) trigger
3 (figurative) immediate cause of a conflict

Characters

to guide / to lead / to conduct

thread / line / wire

Examples

点燃导火线后，他迅速跑开。

Diǎnrán dǎohuǒxiàn hòu, tā xùnsù pǎo kāi.

After lighting the fuse, he ran away quickly.

这件小事成了战争爆发的导火线。

Zhè jiàn xiǎoshì chéng le zhànzhēng bàofā de dǎohuǒxiàn.

This small incident became the trigger for the outbreak of war.

那次争吵是他们分手的导火线。

Nà cì zhēngchǎo shì tāmen fēnshǒu de dǎohuǒxiàn.

That argument was the trigger for their breakup.

Tips

usage

导火线 is used both literally (a fuse on a bomb) and figuratively (the triggering event for a larger crisis), much like the English 'last straw' or 'spark that ignited the powder keg.'

Stroke Order

导 dǎo

火 huǒ

线 xiàn