发炎
fāyán · HSK 6
inflame
🔥 发 (emit/develop) + 炎 (flame, two 火 stacked) = develop flame → inflammation
炎 is literally two 火 (fire) stacked, the classic character for blazing heat. 发 here means to develop or break out. Together: heat breaks out in the body — inflammation.
发 — simplified form of 發; from 癶 (two feet) + 弓 (bow) + 殳 (weapon)
The traditional form 發 depicted shooting an arrow from a bow, with 癶 showing outstretched feet and 弓 the bow, giving the core sense of 'send out, discharge.' From this came extended meanings like 'issue, emit, develop.' The modern simplified 发 also absorbed 髮 (hair), so it now covers both 'to send out' and 'hair.'