bắt lửa
Definition
- Intransitive Verb:
- To catch fire; to ignite: The process of a material beginning to burn when exposed to a source of ignition like a flame or spark.
- To become flammable; to become capable of burning: Describes the moment a substance starts to combust.
Usage Examples
- Intransitive Verb:
- Cành cây khô bắt lửa rất nhanh. (Dry branches catch fire very quickly.)
- Xăng dễ bắt lửa hơn nước. (Gasoline ignites more easily than water.)
- Căn nhà bắt lửa từ tầng một. (The house caught fire from the first floor.)
Advanced Usage
- Used to describe susceptibility to ignition: Often describes the inherent property of a material.
- Vải này khó bắt lửa. (This fabric is flame-resistant. / Literally: This fabric is difficult to catch fire.)
- Used figuratively for emotions or situations: Can describe something spreading rapidly, like emotions or conflict, though this is less common than the literal meaning.
- Cuộc tranh cãi bắt lửa từ một hiểu lầm nhỏ. (The argument ignited from a small misunderstanding.)
Variants and Related Words
- Cháy (Verb): To burn, to be on fire. This describes the state of burning ignition.
- Căn nhà đang cháy. (The house is burning.)
- Bắt cháy (Verb): A synonym for "bắt lửa," meaning to catch fire.
- Phát hỏa (Verb): To burst into flames; to catch fire suddenly and violently.
- Dễ cháy / Dễ bắt lửa (Adjective Phrase): Flammable, combustible.
- Khó cháy / Khó bắt lửa (Adjective Phrase): Flame-retardant, non-flammable.
Synonyms
- Bắt cháy: To catch fire.
- Bốc cháy: To burst into flames (often more sudden).
- Phát hỏa: To catch fire, to ignite (can imply a sudden start).
Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)
(Note: As a single verb, "bắt lửa" does not commonly form phrasal verbs. Its meaning is contained within the single term.)
Related Idioms
- Dễ như bắt lửa: (As easy as) catching fire. Used to describe something that is very easy to do or that happens very easily.
- Làm việc đó dễ như bắt lửa. (Doing that is as easy as pie. / Literally: as easy as catching fire.)