Definition
走火 is a verb-object compound (离合词) formed from 走 'move/walk' and 火 'fire'. Its literal sense is 'fire moves' — used for electrical sparks or short circuits, and for accidental firearm discharges. Figuratively, it can mean 'to go too far, to overstate' in conversation, as if words 'spark' beyond control. Because it's separable, you can insert 了, 过, or measure words between 走 and 火: 走了火, 走过一次火.
v.o.
(electrical) to sparkto short-circuit(firearm) to accidentally discharge(figurative) to overstateto go too far (in speech or action)
Examples
- 走火。Diànqì gāng xiū hǎo jiù zǒu huǒ le.The appliance had just been fixed and then short-circuited.
- 。Tā zài cā qiāng shí bù xiǎoxīn zǒu le huǒ.He accidentally discharged the gun while cleaning it.
- ，走火。Tā shuōhuà tài jīdòng, yǒudiǎnr zǒu huǒ.He got too excited while speaking and went a bit overboard.
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