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燎

liáo / liǎo
verb #50,095

Meanings

  1. 1 to burn
  2. 2 to set ablaze
  3. 3 to spread like wildfire

Examples

星星之火，可以燎原。
Xīngxīngzhīhuǒ, kěyǐ liáo yuán.
A single spark can start a prairie fire.
谣言如野火燎原，很快传得人人皆知。
Yáoyán rú yěhuǒ liáoyuán, hěnkuài chuán de rénrén jiēzhī.
The rumor spread like wildfire and was soon known everywhere.

Tips

history
燎 means to burn across an area. The famous line 星星之火，可以燎原 ('a single spark can set the whole plain alight') is used for a small beginning that grows unstoppable.

Components

radical
火 huǒ
fire
The fire radical, picturing flames. It is the meaning core: 燎 is about open fire spreading and burning across the land.
phonetic
尞 liáo
to burn brushwood in sacrifice (phonetic)
Supplies the sound, giving the reading liáo. It originally depicted a ritual bonfire of brushwood, so it also reinforces the burning meaning.

Stroke Order

燎 liáo