火

火 U+706B, 火 ← 灪[U+706A] CJK Unified Ideographs 灬 →[U+706C] ⽕ U+2F55, ⽕ ← ⽔[U+2F54] Kangxi Radicals ⽖ →[U+2F56] Stroke order

• 灬 (when used as a bottom Chinese radical)

Stroke order

火 (Kangxi radical 86, 火+0, 4 strokes, Cangjie input 火 (F), four-corner 90800, composition ⿻⿰丿丿人(GJKV) or ⿻丷人(HT))

1. Kangxi radical #86, ⽕.

• Appendix:Chinese radical/火
• 伙, 吙, 狄, 阦, 疢, 秋, 耿, 鈥(钬), 邩, 畑, 秌, 烙, 䙺, 䲴
• 灰, 苂, 荧, 羙, 䎡, 䙳, 倐, 齌, 䀆, 㴴, 燮

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 665, character 1
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 18850
• Dae Jaweon: page 1073, character 19
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 3, page 2187, character 1
• Unihan data for U+706B

trad. 火 simp. # 火

Pictogram (象形) – pictographic representation of a fire. Written as 灬 when at the bottom of a character, but still seen in the original form in the character 灸.

See also the top component of 叟 in its original form and the bottom part of 赤.

Possibly from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *məj (Schuessler 2007; STEDT). However, see there for phonological problems.

Sagart and Baxter (2024) update their Old Chinese reconstruction to 火 (OC *X.pˤərʔ) (whence MC xwaX → huǒ) and propose alternative cognacy to 燹 (OC *X.pər(ʔ)-s) (whence MC xwijH), both being prefixed by unknown element X- which turned the labial plosive *p(ʰ)- into the fricative *xw-; moreover, both are cognates to 燹 (OC *sə-pˤər(ʔ)-s) (whence MC senX → xiǎn). They also propose that aforesaid Chinese words are cognates to Proto-Tibeto-Burman *par (i.e. STEDT Etymon #2152 *bʷar ~ *pʷar (“fire; burn; kindle; roast”), see there for descendants) as well as Proto-Austronesian *dapuʀ (“cooking fire, hearth”).

火

1. fire; flame (Classifier: 把 m; 團／团 m) 可以跟你借一個火嗎？ [MSC, trad.]可以跟你借一个火吗？ [MSC, simp.]Kěyǐ gēn nǐ jiè yīge huǒ ma? [Pinyin]Can I borrow a light?
2. fire (as a disaster); inferno
3. red; fiery; bright; brilliant
4. to burn down
5. light; torch
6. (dialectal) light; lamp
7. anger; rage; wrath
8. to become enraged
9. angry; furious
10. (traditional Chinese medicine) internal heat 上火 ― shànghuǒ ― inflammation
11. firearm; ammunition; weapon
12. war; warfare
13. thriving; brisk
14. urgent; pressing
15. (neologism) to become popular; to go viral
16. (neologism) to be popular; to be viral 此帖必火 ― cǐ tiě bì huǒ ― This post will definitely go viral
17. (Cantonese) watt (unit of power) ※Definitely, “火” here is a unit of brightness (luminous intensity). However, the brightness of a luminous device is measured in watts in life because of luminous intensity’s dependence on power, which resulted in it being bonded to watt, the unit of power. 20火嘅燈膽／20火嘅灯胆 [Cantonese] ― 20 fo2 ge3 dang1 daam2 [Jyutping] ― 20-watt lightbulb
18. short for 火星 (Huǒxīng, “Mars”)
19. (Cantonese) roasted Synonyms: 烤 (kǎo), 燒 / 烧 (shāo) 火鴨／火鸭 [Cantonese] ― fo2 aap3 [Jyutping] ― roasted duck

• (internal heat (traditional Chinese medicine)):

• “火”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎[1], 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014-

(First grade kyōiku kanji)

• Go-on: か (ka, Jōyō)←くわ (kwa, historical)
• Kan-on: か (ka, Jōyō)←くわ (kwa, historical)
• Tō-on: こ (ko)
• Kun: ひ (hi, 火, Jōyō)、ほ (ho, 火, Jōyō †)

Kanji in this term 火 ひGrade: 1 kun’yomi

⟨pi2⟩ → */pʷɨ/ → /ɸi/ → /hi/

From Old Japanese,[1] from Proto-Japonic *poy.

Apophonic form of ho (see below). Compare 木 (ki, ko-, “tree”).

• (light): 灯

• (Tokyo) ひ [híꜜ] (Atamadaka – [1])[2]
• IPA(key): [çi]

火(ひ) • (hi)

1. a fire:
   1. a flame ストーブの火(ひ)を消(け)してください。Sutōbu no hi o keshite kudasai.Please put out the stove’s fire. キャンプで火(ひ)を囲(かこ)んで話(はなし)をした。Kyanpu de hi o kakonde hanashi o shita.We sat around the fire at the camp and talked. Synonyms: 火気 (kaki), ファイア (faia), 炎 (honō)
   2. cooking fire 料理(りょうり)で火(ひ)を使(つか)って野菜(やさい)を炒(いた)める。Ryōri de hi o tsukatte yasai o itameru.I use a cooking fire to stir-fry vegetables.
   3. a firestarter キャンプで着火具(ちゃっかぐ)の火(ひ)をつけて、テントを建(た)てた。Kyanpu de chakkagu no hi o tsukete, tento o tateta.I lit the firestarter’s fire at the campsite to set up the tent.
   4. sparks 工具(こうぐ)を使(つか)うと金属(きんぞく)が当(あ)たり、火花(ひばな)が散(ち)った。Kōgu o tsukau to kinzoku ga atari, hibana ga chitta.When I used the tool, the metal struck and sparks flew.
   5. light (matches or lighter) 火(ひ)を貸(か)してもらえる？Hi o kashite moraeru?Can I borrow a light?
   6. heat ボイラーを強(つよ)く加熱(かねつ)しすぎると、火熱(かねつ)によってシステムが故障(こしょう)する。Boirā o tsuyoku kanetsu shisugiru to, kanetsu ni yotte shisutemu ga koshō suru.If the boiler is overheated, the heat will damage the system. Synonyms: 火熱 (kanetsu), 熱 (netsu)
   7. a conflagration 住宅街(じゅうたくがい)で大(おお)きな火災(かさい)が起(お)こり、多(おお)くの家(いえ)が焼(や)けた。Jūtakugai de ōkina kasai ga okori, ōku no ie ga yaketa.A large conflagration broke out in the residential area and many homes were burned down. Synonyms: 火災 (kasai), 火事 (kaji)
   8. a signal fire Synonym: 狼煙 (noroshi) 山(やま)の頂(いただき)で狼煙(のろし)を上(あ)げ、村(むら)に異変(いへん)を伝(つた)えた。Yama no itadaki de noroshi o age, mura ni ihen o tsutaeta.They lit a signal fire on the mountain peak to alert the village to the emergency.
2. (by extension) a light 深夜(しんや)の森(もり)の中(なか)、彼女(かのじょ)はポケットの火(ひ)を揉(も)みしだいて、ほんの少(すこ)しの光(ひかり)を得(え)た。Shin’ya no mori no naka, kanojo wa poketto no hi o momishidaite, honno sukoshi no hikari o eta.In the middle of the forest at midnight, she rubbed her pocket light to get a little bit of illumination.
3. a burning passion 彼(かれ)の研究(けんきゅう)に対(たい)する火(ひ)は、夜遅(よるおそ)くまでラボに彼(かれ)を留(と)めた。Kare no kenkyū nitaisuru hi wa, yoruosoku made rabo ni kare o tometa.His burning passion for research kept him in the lab until late at night.
4. menstruation 毎月(まいつき)、彼女(かのじょ)は火(ひ)が来(く)ると生理痛(せいりつう)に苦(くる)しむ。Maitsuki, kanojo wa hi ga kuru to seiritsū ni kurushimu.Every month, when her period comes, she suffers from menstrual cramps. Synonym: 月経 (gekkei)

• 火(ひ)を見(み)るよりも明(あき)らか (hi o miru yori mo akiraka, “clearer than seeing the fire → as plain as day, as plain as the nose on one’s face, as clear as a bell”)

Kanji in this term 火 ほGrade: 1 kun’yomi

/po/ → /ɸo/ → /ho/

From Old Japanese.[1]

Combining form of hi above. Probably the oldest form, possibly cognate with Korean 불 (bul, “fire”).

• IPA(key): [ho̞]

火(ほ) • (ho)

1. a fire

Kanji in this term 火 かGrade: 1 on’yomi

/kwa/ → /ka/

From Middle Chinese 火 (MC xwaX).[1]

• (Tokyo) か [káꜜ] (Atamadaka – [1])[2]
• IPA(key): [ka̠]

火(か) • (ka) ←くわ (kwa)?

1. a fire
2. one of the five classical elements in traditional Chinese philosophy and medicine: see Wuxing (Chinese philosophy) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
3. (historical) under the old 律令 (Ritsuryō) system of ancient Japan, a military grouping, consisting of 10 soldiers: a squad Synonym: 分隊 (buntai)
4. short for 火曜日 (kayōbi): Tuesday

• 風林火山(ふうりんかざん) (fūrinkazan)

火(か) • (ka) ←くわ (kwa)?

1. fire
2. light
3. burning
4. passion
5. imminently
6. explosive

火(か) • (Ka) ←くわ (Kwa)?

1. Antares, in the constellation Scorpio Synonyms: アンタレス (Antaresu), 大火 (Taika)

• “火”, in 漢字ぺディア [Kanjipedia]‎[2] (in Japanese), The Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation, 2015-2026

From Middle Chinese 火 (MC xwaX).

Historical readings Dongguk Jeongun reading Dongguk Jeongun, 1448 황〯 (Yale: hwǎ) Middle Korean Text Eumhun Gloss (hun) Reading Hunmong Jahoe, 1527[3] 블〮 (Yale: púl) 화〯 (Yale: hwǎ)

• (in {{ko-l|1=화요|2=火曜}}):
  • (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA(key): [ɸwa̠]
  • Phonetic hangul: [화]
• (fire; anger; etc.):
  • (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA(key): [ɸwa̠(ː)]
  • Phonetic hangul: [화(ː)]
    • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

火 (eumhun 불 화 (bul hwa))

1. hanja form? of 화 (“fire; heat”) [affix]
2. hanja form? of 화 (“anger”) [noun]
3. hanja form? of 화 (“(as an abbreviation) Mars”)
4. hanja form? of 화 (“short for 화요일(火曜日) (hwayoil, “Tuesday”)”)

• 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典. [4]

From Proto-Japonic *poy.

Apophonic form of po1 (see below).

Compare the development of 木 (ki2, ko2-, “tree”).

火 (pi2) (kana ひ)

1. a fire
2. (by extension) a light

• 火の神 (pi2 no2 kami2, “fire deity”)
• 葦火 (asipi2, “fire using dried reeds as kindling or fuel”)

• Japanese: 火 (hi), 灯 (hi)

Combining form of pi2 above, probably the older form.

火 (po1 → po) (kana ほ)

1. a fire

• 螢 (potaru, “firefly”)
• 火の神 (po no2 kami2, “fire deity”)
• 炎 (pono2po, “flame”)
• 火中 (po1naka)

• Japanese: 火 (ho)

Appears in only one poem in the Man’yōshū (c. 759 CE) as a compound, see derived term 葦火 (asipu).

According to Vovin (2011) p. 222, this is the vowel raising of the nucleus of Proto-Japonic *poy to *puy, followed by deletion of the *-y consonant.

火 (pu) (kana ふ)

1. (regional, Central Eastern Old Japanese) a fire

• 富士 (Puzi, “Mount Fuji”) (disputed; might be an Ainu loanword)
• 葦火 (asipu, “fire using dried reeds as kindling or fuel”)

火: Hán Việt readings: hỏa/hoả[1][2][3] 火: Nôm readings: hỏa/hoả[2][3][4][5], ỏa/oả[1]

1. chữ Hán form of hoả (“fire”)