引燃 (yǐn rán) — to ignite, to kindle

Definition

引燃 (yǐnrán) is a formal/written verb meaning 'to ignite' — typically used for sparks, flames, or metaphorically igniting emotions. It pairs with 火, 火星, 热情 etc., and is more literary than the everyday 点燃.

verb
to igniteto kindle

Examples

  • 引燃。
    Huǒ chái kě yǐ yǐn rán zhǐ zhāng.
    Matches can ignite paper.
  • 引燃。
    Yí gè xiǎo xiǎo de huǒ xīng jiù néng yǐn rán yí piàn sēn lín.
    A tiny spark can ignite a whole forest.
  • 引燃。
    Tā de yǎn jiǎng yǐn rán le dà jiā de rè qíng.
    His speech ignited everyone's enthusiasm.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

引yǐndraw/lead
燃ránburn

"引" draws or leads something into fire, while "燃" adds the result of burning.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 弓弓gōngbow
  • 丿丿piěindicatory stroke

引 is made from 弓, a bow, and 丿, a short slant stroke added at the place where the string is pulled, marking the action of drawing or pulling.

Open 引 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
火火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
然
然rán燃rán
Same sound today

燃 adds 火 (fire) to 然 to write “burn”; 然 supplied the sound, and 火 was added to make the fire meaning clear.

Open 燃 →

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