火药桶 (huǒ yào tǒng) — powder keg (a container for gunpowder); powder keg (a volatile situation, flashpoint)

Definition

A metaphorical noun meaning 'powder keg' — almost always used for a tense, volatile situation ready to explode (politics, conflict, public anger), not a literal container of gunpowder.

noun
powder keg (a container for gunpowder)powder keg (a volatile situation, flashpoint)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 火药桶。
    Zhè ge huǒ yào tǒng lǐ zhuāng mǎn le huǒ yào.
    This powder keg is filled with gunpowder.
  • 火药桶，。
    Nà ge dì qū de jú shì jiù xiàng yí gè huǒ yào tǒng, yí chù jí fā.
    The situation in that region is like a powder keg, ready to explode at any touch.
  • 火药桶。
    Tā de yán lùn ràng zhěng gè huì chǎng biàn chéng le yí gè huǒ yào tǒng.
    His remarks turned the entire meeting hall into a powder keg.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

火药gunpowder
火huǒfire药yàopowder
偏正Modifier + head
桶tǒngbarrel

“火药” gives gunpowder, and “桶” is the barrel, together forming a keg of explosive material.

Characters in this word

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.

Open 火 →

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 藥; 药 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艹Written in full as艸cǎograss
Sound part声符shēngfú
樂
樂lè藥yào
Same sound today

In the traditional form 藥, 艹 shows grass and 樂 gives the sound; this story is about 藥, not about the simplified 药.

Open 药 →

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
木木mùwood
Sound part声符shēngfú
甬
甬yǒng桶tǒng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left part 木 shows wood, and the right part 甬 gives the sound.

Open 桶 →

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