p8nda
p8nda BETA
Home Dictionary Translate Flashcards Sign in

炙手可热

炙手可熱
zhìshǒu-kěrè
idiom #20,190

Meanings

  1. 1 so powerful that nobody dares to approach
  2. 2 extremely popular or in demand
  3. 3 burning hot (of influence or fame)

Examples

她是目前娱乐圈里炙手可热的明星。
Tā shì mùqián yúlèquān lǐ zhìshǒu-kěrè de míngxīng.
She is the hottest celebrity in the entertainment industry right now.
这款手机一上市就炙手可热，供不应求。
Zhè kuǎn shǒujī yī shàngshì jiù zhìshǒu-kěrè, gōngbùyìngqiú.
This phone became hugely in demand the moment it launched, with supply unable to meet demand.

Tips

history
Originally coined by Tang dynasty poet 杜甫 in his poem 丽人行, where it described the arrogance of Emperor Xuanzong's favorite 杨贵妃's relatives - their power was so great that approaching them felt like burning your hand. Today it is more often used positively to mean 'extremely popular or sought-after'.
mistakes
Modern usage has shifted: 炙手可热 is now frequently used to mean 'very popular' (e.g., a hot celebrity), which differs from its original negative meaning of 'so powerful one dares not approach'. Be aware of both senses.

Stroke Order

炙 zhì
手 shǒu
可 kě
热 rè