明火

mínghuǒ

noun #33,298

Measure Word

一团明火 tuán

Meanings

1 open flame; naked fire
2 (historical) public/blatant robbery (as in 明火执仗)

Characters

Examples

禁止在加油站使用明火。

Jìnzhǐ zài jiāyóuzhàn shǐyòng mínghuǒ.

Open flames are forbidden at gas stations.

他们用明火烤鱼。

Tāmen yòng mínghuǒ kǎo yú.

They grilled fish over an open flame.

山林里千万不能生明火。

Shānlín lǐ qiānwàn bùnéng shēng mínghuǒ.

You absolutely must not light an open fire in the forest.

Tips

usage

Most often seen in safety contexts: 'no open flames' signs at gas stations, factories, fireworks warehouses. Contrasts with 暗火 (smoldering, hidden fire) and 电火 (electric heat).

history

Also lives in the chengyu 明火执仗 (mínghuǒ-zhízhàng) — 'with open torches and brandished weapons', i.e. doing something brazenly criminal in broad daylight.

Stroke Order

明 míng

火 huǒ