动火 (dòng huǒ) — to get angry; to flare up (colloquial) | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Colloquial verb meaning 'to get angry, to flare up.' Stronger than 生气 (general irritation) and more informal than 发怒 (formal). Often pairs with 动了火 or 动不动就火.

verb

to get angryto flare up (colloquial)

Examples

动火，。
Bié dòng huǒ, lěng jìng yí xià.
Don't get angry, calm down.
，。
Tā dòng le yí cì huǒ, rán hòu jiù hòu huǐ le.
He got angry once and then regretted it.
，。
Tā dòng le huǒ, duì dà jiā fā le pí qi.
He got angry and lost his temper at everyone.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

动 means stir and 火 means fire, so anger flares up.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 動; 动 is its simplified writing.

重力動

Meaning part形符xíngfú

力力lìstrength

Sound part声符shēngfú

重

重zhòng動dòng

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 動 uses 力 (strength) and 重 as a sound part; 重 refers to a heavy bag ready to be moved by a human. This note is about 動, not 动.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

火 is a simple drawing of a fire, with flames shown rising upward.

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