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导火线 (dǎo huǒ xiàn) — (blasting) fuse, fuse cord; (figurative) trigger, direct cause, spark that sets off a larger event

Definition

Literally a 'fuse' for explosives; figuratively a small incident that sparks a much larger conflict. A direct cause of something big, not the underlying reason.

noun
(blasting) fusefuse cord(figurative) triggerdirect causespark that sets off a larger event
Measure word · 根

Examples

  • 导火线。
    Gōng rén bào pò qián yào jiē hǎo dǎo huǒ xiàn.
    Workers need to connect the fuse before blasting.
  • 导火线。
    Zhè ge shì jiàn shì yǐn fā zhàn zhēng de dǎo huǒ xiàn.
    This incident was the fuse that triggered the war.
  • 导火线。
    Zī yuán zhēng duó chéng le zhè chǎng chōng tū de dǎo huǒ xiàn.
    The dispute over resources became the fuse for the conflict.
Appears in
Cause, Effect & Logic

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