明火

mínghuǒ

noun #33,298

Measure Word

一团明火 tuán

Meanings

1 open flame; naked fire
2 (historical) public/blatant robbery (as in 明火执仗)

Characters

Examples

HSK 4

禁止在加油站使用明火。

Jìnzhǐ zài jiāyóuzhàn shǐyòng mínghuǒ.

Open flames are forbidden at gas stations.

HSK 7-9

他们用明火烤鱼。

Tāmen yòng mínghuǒ kǎo yú.

They grilled fish over an open flame.

HSK 7-9

山林里千万不能生明火。

Shānlín lǐ qiānwàn bùnéng shēng mínghuǒ.

You absolutely must not light an open fire in the forest.

Tips

usage

Most often seen in safety contexts: 'no open flames' signs at gas stations, factories, fireworks warehouses. Contrasts with 暗火 (smoldering, hidden fire) and 电火 (electric heat).

history

Also lives in the chengyu 明火执仗 (mínghuǒ-zhízhàng) - 'with open torches and brandished weapons', i.e. doing something brazenly criminal in broad daylight.

Stroke Order

明 míng

火 huǒ