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化为灰烬 (huà wéi huī jìn) — to be reduced to ashes; to be completely destroyed

Definition

Literary phrase meaning 'reduced to ashes' — used for things (buildings, hopes, memories) utterly destroyed. The whole phrase functions as one verb and rarely splits.

verb
to be reduced to ashesto be completely destroyed

Examples

  • 化为灰烬。
    Zhěng gè tú shū guǎn zài huǒ zāi zhōng huà wéi huī jìn.
    The entire library was reduced to ashes in the fire.
  • 化为灰烬。
    Tā de bì shēng xīn xuè yí yè zhī jiān huà wéi huī jìn.
    All his life's work turned to ashes overnight.
  • 化为灰烬。
    Nà xiē měi hǎo de huí yì yǐ jīng huà wéi huī jìn.
    Those beautiful memories have already turned to ashes.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

化 shows two person figures, one upright and one upside down, to give the idea of reversal or change.

Open 化 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 為; 为 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 為 showed a hand holding an elephant; the simplified 为 is a later shorthand.

Open 为 →

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

灰 shows 火 (fire) that can be touched by 又 (hand), meaning ash.

Open 灰 →

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 燼; 烬 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
火火huǒ
Sound part声符shēngfú
盡
盡jìn燼jìn
Same sound today

The traditional form 燼 uses 火 for fire and 盡 to give the sound; the simplified 烬 is a shorthand.

Appears in
Idioms & Set Phrases

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