Definition
失火 is a verb-object separable verb (离合词) meaning 'to catch fire' or 'to be on fire'. Because 失 and 火 can split, you can insert aspect markers (了, 过) or measure words between them: 失了火 (has caught fire), 失过两次火 (has caught fire twice). The location is introduced separately as the subject; the verb does not take a direct object.
v.o.
to catch fireto be on fire
Examples
- 失火。Nà jiā gōngchǎng shàng gè yuè shī huǒ le.That factory caught fire last month.
- 。Nà zuò cāngkù shī guò liǎng cì huǒ.That warehouse has caught fire twice.
- ，失火！Kuài diǎn bàojǐng, gébì shī huǒ le!Hurry and call the police, the neighbor's house is on fire!
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