鬼火 (guǐ huǒ) — will-o'-the-wisp; ghostly marsh gas light

Definition

Examples

• 夜里在沼泽地看到鬼火，古代人以为那是鬼魂。
  Yè lǐ zài zhǎo zé dì kàn dào guǐ huǒ, gǔ dài rén yǐ wéi nà shì guǐ hún.
  Seeing a will-o'-the-wisp in the swamp at night, ancient people thought it was a ghost.
• 科学解释鬼火是磷火，由腐烂物质自然燃烧而成。
  Kē xué jiě shì guǐ huǒ shì lín huǒ, yóu fǔ làn wù zhì zì rán rán shāo ér chéng.
  Science explains that a will-o'-the-wisp is phosphorus flame, formed by the spontaneous combustion of decaying matter.
• 这个传说提到一条小路上经常出现鬼火，吓坏了路人。
  Zhè ge chuán shuō tí dào yì tiáo xiǎo lù shang jīng cháng chū xiàn guǐ huǒ, xià huài le lù rén.
  This legend mentions that a will-o'-the-wisp often appears on a small path, terrifying passersby.

Origin