燎原 (liáo yuán) — (verb-object) to set the prairie ablaze; (figurative) to spread uncontrollably like a wildfire

Definition

A literary/figurative verb meaning to spread like a wildfire — almost always used in 星星之火,可以燎原 ('a single spark can start a prairie fire') or to describe a movement/idea sweeping across a region.

verb
(verb-object) to set the prairie ablaze(figurative) to spread uncontrollably like a wildfire

Examples

  • ，燎原。
    Xīng xīng zhī huǒ, kě yǐ liáo yuán.
    A single spark can start a prairie fire.
  • 燎原。
    Zhè chǎng yùn dòng hěn kuài liáo yuán le quán guó.
    This movement quickly spread like wildfire across the country.
  • 燎原，。
    Tā de sī xiǎng rú yě huǒ liáo yuán, yǐng xiǎng le wú shù nián qīng rén.
    His thoughts, like a prairie fire, influenced countless young people.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

燎liáoburn
原yuánprairie

燎 means burn and 原 means prairie, literally setting the prairie ablaze.

Characters in this word

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
火火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
尞
尞liáo燎liáo
Same sound today

燎 uses 火 (fire) to show the meaning of burning, and 尞 to give its sound liáo.

Open 燎 →

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

原 combines 泉 (spring) and 厂 (cliff), picturing a spring bursting from a cliff-side, which gives the sense of origin or source.

Open 原 →

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