火
huǒ · HSK 3
fire
🔥 Pictograph of flames — two sparks rising from a central blaze.
The ancient form shows a flame with sparks flying off to the sides. Also extends metaphorically to bodily heat (上火 = inflammation) and hot temper (发火 = lose one's cool).
火 — pictograph of flames rising
火 is a pictograph showing flames rising upward from a fire, with the central stroke as the main blaze and the side strokes as sparks. The ancient oracle bone form looked even more clearly like a burning flame. It still means 'fire' today and serves as a common radical in characters related to heat, burning, or cooking.