點燃 / 点燃
diǎnrán
To kindle a fire in Chinese, use 點燃 / 点燃 (diǎnrán). If unsure, use 點燃 / 点燃. Wiktionary also lists 點火 / 点火 (diǎnhuǒ).
Meaning: to start (a fire) (verb)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 點燃 / 点燃 | diǎnrán |
| 點火 / 点火 | diǎnhuǒ |
點燃 can be used for lighting a fire and also metaphorically, meaning to kindle or spark emotions or social movements.
What does it mean word for word?
點燃 combines 點, to light, with 燃, to burn or ignite. 點火 combines 點 with 火, fire.
Which one should you use?
點燃 is more formal and is often used for abstract things like kindling hope or igniting a passion. 點火 (diǎnhuǒ) is more common for the physical act of lighting a fire or a stove, and is also used for starting an engine or lighting a burner.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
In pinyin it is diǎnrán.
Did you know?
- Beyond starting a fire, the word 點 (diǎn) is also used when ordering food from a menu, as both acts involve 'selecting' or 'pointing' at a specific spot.
- While 點燃 (diǎnrán) is used for passion, the phrase 點火 (diǎnhuǒ) can be used colloquially to mean 'provoking' or 'inciting' someone's anger.
- The character 點 (diǎn) used in these phrases is the same one used for 'dot' or 'point', implying that kindling is conceptually like placing a single 'point' of heat onto a source.
Example sentences for Chinese are not verified yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “kindle” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
