自焚

zìfén

verb #16,129

Meanings

HSK 7-9

传说凤凰每五百年自焚一次，再从灰烬中重生。

Chuánshuō fènghuáng měi wǔbǎi nián zìfén yí cì, zài cóng huījìn zhōng chóngshēng.

Legend has it that every five hundred years the phoenix burns itself up and is then reborn from the ashes.

HSK 7-9

相传商纣王战败后在鹿台自焚。

Xiāngchuán Shāng Zhòuwáng zhànbài hòu zài Lùtái zìfén.

Tradition says that after his defeat, King Zhou of Shang set himself on fire on the Deer Terrace.

history

The idiom 玩火自焚 (wánhuǒ zìfén, 'play with fire and burn yourself') uses 自焚 metaphorically to mean bringing destruction upon oneself.

自 zì

焚 fén