玩火 (wánhuǒ): to play with fire

Meanings

1 to play with fire
2 (fig.) to court danger; to take reckless risks

Characters

玩

Examples

你这样做是在玩火！

Nǐ zhèyàng zuò shì zài wánhuǒ!

What you're doing is playing with fire!

玩火者必自焚。

Wánhuǒ zhě bì zì fén.

He who plays with fire will get burned.

Tips

usage

Like in English, 玩火 is most often used figuratively to warn someone they are taking dangerous risks. The proverb 玩火者必自焚 is the Chinese equivalent of 'play with fire and you'll get burned'.

Stroke Order

玩 wán

火 huǒ

Related Words

起火 qǐhuǒ #7,327

to catch fire; to start a fire / to break out (of a fire)

玩牌 wánpái #8,615

to play cards / to play a card game

着火 zháohuǒ HSK 4 #3,916

to catch fire / to be on fire

开火 kāihuǒ #3,098

to open fire / to fire (a weapon) / to start shooting

玩儿 wánr HSK 1 #4,130

to play; to have fun

玩玩 wánwán #3,565

to play around a bit / to have some fun / to mess around with

玩弄 wánnòng #5,592

to play with / to toy with / to manipulate / to trifle with

玩 wán #282

to play; to have fun / to toy with; to dabble in

失火 shīhuǒ #13,548

to catch fire / to be on fire / (of a building) to have a fire break out

玩耍 wánshuǎ HSK 7 #8,144

to play / to have fun / to frolic