炬 (jù): torch

Measure Word

一支火炬 zhī

Meanings

1 torch
2 (literary) flame; fire

Characters

炬

jù

torch; flame

Examples

他手持火炬走在队伍最前面。

Tā shǒu chí huǒjù zǒu zài duìwǔ zuì qiánmiàn.

He walked at the head of the procession holding a torch.

奥运圣火炬传递经过了许多国家。

Àoyùn shènghuǒ jù chuándì jīngguòle xǔduō guójiā.

The Olympic torch relay passed through many countries.

古城付之一炬。

Gǔchéng fùzhīyījù.

The ancient city was reduced to ashes (lit. 'consigned to a single torch').

Tips

memory

炬 = 火 (fire) + 巨 (jù 'huge', also the phonetic). Picture a 'huge fire' you can carry — a torch. The phonetic 巨 hands you the reading directly.

history

The chengyu 付之一炬 (fùzhīyījù, 'consign it to a single torch') describes burning something to ashes; it traces back to descriptions of Xiang Yu (项羽) burning the Qin palaces. The single character 炬 still carries that flame imagery in modern compounds: 火炬 'torch', 目光如炬 'eyes blazing like torches' (sharply perceptive).