hei2 fo2起火
Jyutpinghei2 fo2
Yalehéi fó
Definition
To start a fire; to catch fire.
colloquialdaily actionsother
How it's used
Focuses on the sudden onset of a fire, often implying an accidental or uncontrollable situation. It is frequently used in news reports or casual warnings to describe an emergency event. Unlike more specific verbs for lighting a stove or a cigarette, this carries a sense of danger or alarm.
Examples
The kitchen suddenly caught fire, it is so dangerous!
Related words
Common phrases
suddenly catch fire
electrical wiring catches fire
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe the act of lighting a stove or a candle, as those require different verbs like 開火 or 點火. Using this for a small, controlled flame sounds like a major fire emergency.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
