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炙手可热 (zhì shǒu kě rè) — (literal) so hot it burns the hand; (figurative) having immense power and influence (often with a negative connotation); extremely popular or in high demand

Definition

Literally 'so hot you burn your hand,' this idiom describes someone or something at peak power and popularity — often with a hint of arrogance or danger. Usually carries a negative or cautionary tone, unlike neutral words for 'popular' like 受欢迎.

idiom
(literal) so hot it burns the hand(figurative) having immense power and influence (often with a negative connotation)extremely popular or in high demand

Examples

  • 炙手可热，。
    Tā zài zhèng jiè dì wèi zhì shǒu kě rè, méi rén gǎn dé zuì tā.
    His position in politics is so powerful that no one dares to offend him.
  • 炙手可热，。
    Zhè kuǎn shǒu jī zài shì chǎng shàng zhì shǒu kě rè, hěn kuài jiù mài guāng le.
    This phone model is extremely popular on the market and sold out quickly.
  • ，炙手可热，。
    Zài zhè ge gōng sī lǐ, zhè ge zhí wèi zhì shǒu kě rè, jìng zhēng fēi cháng jī liè.
    In this company, this position is in very high demand and the competition is fierce.

Origin

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 炙 →

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

手 draws a five-fingered human hand: the top line is a bent middle finger, and the horizontal lines show the other four fingers.

Open 手 →

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
口口kǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
丂
丂kǎo可kě
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

可 pairs 口 (mouth) with 丂 as a sound part; it is tied to air from the mouth, perhaps singing.

Open 可 →

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 熱; 热 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
灬Written in full as火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
埶
埶yì熱rè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 熱 pairs 埶 with 火 (written as 灬) to show heat, while 埶 gives a sound.

Open 热 →
Appears in
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