火山毛

huǒshānmáo

noun

Meanings

1 Pele's hair
2 thin glassy fibers formed from molten lava

Characters

Examples

夏威夷火山附近常常能找到火山毛。

Xiàwēiyí huǒshān fùjìn chángcháng néng zhǎodào huǒshānmáo.

Pele's hair can often be found near the volcanoes of Hawaii.

火山毛非常细，触摸时容易扎伤皮肤。

Huǒshānmáo fēicháng xì, chùmō shí róngyì zhāshāng pífū.

Pele's hair is extremely fine and can easily prick the skin if touched.

Tips

culture

The English name 'Pele's hair' refers to Pele (Hawaiian: Pelehonuamea), the Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes. The Chinese 火山毛 ('volcano hair') is a literal calque — the wisps form when wind stretches droplets of basalt lava into fine glass threads, most famously at Kilauea on Hawaii's Big Island.

Stroke Order

火 huǒ

山 shān

毛 máo