放火

fànghuǒ

verb #9,454

Meanings

有人故意放火烧了那栋楼。

Yǒurén gùyì fànghuǒ shāo le nà dòng lóu.

Someone deliberately set fire to that building.

放火是严重的犯罪。

Fànghuǒ shì yánzhòng de fànzuì.

Arson is a serious crime.

只许州官放火，不许百姓点灯。

Zhǐ xǔ zhōu guān fànghuǒ, bùxǔ bǎixìng diǎndēng.

The magistrate may set fires, but the commoners may not light lamps.

culture

只许州官放火，不许百姓点灯 is a famous idiom meaning 'one rule for the powerful, another for ordinary people' — highlighting hypocrisy and double standards.

usage

放火 specifically means intentional arson. For accidental fires, use 着火 (zháohuǒ, to catch fire) or 失火 (shīhuǒ, fire breaks out).

放 fàng

火 huǒ