引火烧身 (yǐn huǒ shāo shēn) — to bring trouble upon oneself; to ask for trouble; (historical, political) to make a self-criticism to encourage criticism from others

Definition

An idiom meaning to bring trouble or disaster on oneself by one's own actions — literally 'draw fire to burn one's own body.' It can also describe voluntarily making a self-criticism in order to invite criticism from others.

idiom
to bring trouble upon oneselfto ask for trouble(historical, political) to make a self-criticism to encourage criticism from others

Examples

  • ，引火烧身。
    Tā míng zhī nà shì gè piàn jú hái yào cān yù, jiǎn zhí shì yǐn huǒ shāo shēn.
    He knew it was a scam but still joined in — that's simply asking for trouble.
  • ，引火烧身。
    Zài zhè zhǒng mǐn gǎn shí qī fā biǎo zhè yàng de yán lùn, wú yì yú yǐn huǒ shāo shēn.
    Making such remarks during this sensitive period is no different from courting disaster.
  • ，引火烧身，。
    Dāng nián tā wèi le biǎo míng lì chǎng, zhǔ dòng yǐn huǒ shāo shēn, zuò le shēn kè de zì wǒ pī píng.
    Back then, to show his stance, he voluntarily made a self-criticism to invite criticism from others.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

  • 弓弓gōngbow
  • 丿丿piěindicatory stroke

引 is made from 弓, a bow, and 丿, a short slant stroke added at the place where the string is pulled, marking the action of drawing or pulling.

Open 引 →

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 燒; 烧 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
火火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
堯
堯yáo燒shāo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 燒 pairs 火 (fire) with 堯, which supplies the sound; the simplified 烧 is a shorthand.

Open 烧 →

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

The shape of 身 comes from a drawing of a pregnant woman.

Open 身 →

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