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火花 (huǒ huā) — spark (small fiery particle); (figurative) spark, flash (of inspiration, emotion, creativity)

Definition

Literally 'fire-flower': a small spark from flame or friction, or (figuratively) a 'spark' of inspiration or feeling. Pairs with 擦 to mean 'to spark/strike' (擦出火花). More about the brief flash than the sustained 火焰.

noun
spark (small fiery particle)(figurative) sparkflash (of inspiration, emotion, creativity)
Measure word · 朵

Examples

  • 火花。
    Tā cā huǒ chái shí yì shǎn huǒ huā jiù miè le.
    When he struck the match, the spark flashed and went out.
  • 火花。
    Zhè cì hé zuò cā chū le xīn de huǒ huā.
    This collaboration sparked new ideas.
  • ，火花。
    Chū cì jiàn miàn, tā jiù gǎn dào yí zhèn huǒ huā.
    At their first meeting, she felt a spark.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

火huǒfire
花huāflower

"火" and "花" combine to picture a tiny flower of fire, i.e. a spark.

Characters in this word

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艹Written in full as艸cǎograss; plant
Sound part声符shēngfú
化
化huà花
Same sound today

花 pairs 艹 (grass; plant) with 化, which gives the sound.

Open 花 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Miscellaneous Objects

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