DICTIONARY · CC-CEDICT

開火

简开火 · 繁開火

Mandarin · pinyin kāi huǒ

to open fire; to start shooting
to light the flame (for cooking)

Full entryShow on map

Characters in this entry

開: kāi · open; initiate, begin, start
火: huǒ · fire, flame; burn; anger, rage
开: kāi · open; initiate, begin, start

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

Explore the spelling

Mandarin tones

1–3 · kai1 huo3

Compare attested words with these syllables ↗

Dictionary tones. Connected speech can change their realization.

Connected dictionary

3character links1same-tone record

Explore word families ↗Compare pronunciations ↗Open character structure ↗

Counts describe dictionary records, not word frequency or semantic similarity. Source identities stay separate.

Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

開火 · find source passages ↗ · 开火 · find source passages ↗

Explore Classical grammar ↗

Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 4 senses · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

hoi1 fo2

Cantonese word readings for 開火. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

CanCLID contributors · CC BY 4.0 · source & license · Data pack

Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

verb

(verb-object) to open fire; to start shooting
(figuratively) to attack (verbally or in writing)
(Xiamen, Philippine and Penang Hokkien, Danyang Wu) to turn on a light
(Xiamen Hokkien) to open the stove door

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source & license · Data pack