dou6 fo2 sin3導火線导火线
Jyutpingdou6 fo2 sin3
Yaledouh fó sin
Definition
Fuse for explosives, or a direct cause that triggers an event.
- a fuse for igniting explosives
- figurativea spark, trigger, or immediate cause that touches off an event
neutralother
How it's used
Refers specifically to the immediate catalyst that sets off a larger, often negative, chain reaction or conflict. It carries a sense of inevitability once the spark is lit, suggesting that the underlying tension was already present. While it can literally mean a fuse for explosives, it is far more common in daily speech to describe social or political triggers.
Measure word
tiu4條tìuhExamples
This incident was the spark that triggered the argument.
What exactly was the trigger for their breakup?
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe a long-term cause or a deep-seated reason for an event. It is strictly for the final, immediate action that causes the situation to explode.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
