Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
燃rán(ran2)
The character 燃 (rán) means 'to burn' or 'to ignite.' It is commonly used in contexts involving combustion, such as lighting a fire or starting a stove. Additionally, it can figuratively refer to sparking ideas, hopes, or debates.
Strokes16Radical火Frequency#9947DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, fire is associated with warmth, family gatherings, and festivals. For instance, during the Lantern Festival, people light lanterns, symbolizing the igniting of hopes for the new year.
Memory Tip
Imagine a candle (the 火 radical for fire) that ignites (燃) your hopes and dreams, creating a warm glow in a dark room. The pronunciation 'rán' sounds like 'ran,' which you might do to catch a flame before it extinguishes.
Meanings of 燃
rán(ran2)
1to burn
2to ignite
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 燃
燃Simplified
16Strokes
火Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#9947Frequency Rank
Podcast: 燃
Podcast: 燃
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 燃
Quick Contrast
燃 (rán) vs 点 (diǎn) — use 燃 for the act of burning or igniting, while 点 refers specifically to the act of lighting a fire or candle.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a candle (the 火 radical for fire) that ignites (燃) your hopes and dreams, creating a warm glow in a dark room. The pronunciation 'rán' sounds like 'ran,' which you might do to catch a flame before it extinguishes.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 燃 (rán) with 熱 (rè), which means 'hot.' 燃 is often used in more formal contexts, while everyday terms for lighting a fire may be less formal. Common collocations include 燃烧 (ránshāo, to burn) and 燃气 (rángqì, gas).
HSK Study Tips
Although 燃 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects well with other HSK words related to fire and energy, such as 火 (huǒ, fire) and 热 (rè, hot). Students should focus on the context of combustion and its figurative meanings.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, fire is associated with warmth, family gatherings, and festivals. For instance, during the Lantern Festival, people light lanterns, symbolizing the igniting of hopes for the new year.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 燃 with its synonyms like 点燃 (diǎnrán, to light) or 燃烧 (ránshāo, to burn). For example, saying '我燃我的书' (Wǒ rán wǒ de shū) instead of '我点燃我的书' (Wǒ diǎnrán wǒ de shū) is incorrect, as it implies you are burning your book rather than lighting it.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 燃
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 燃 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 燃 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Grammar Patterns of 燃
燃 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 7 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
jí jiù rén yuán dān xīn rán shāo zháo de chuán zhī kě néng huì tuō liàn huá zǒu。
Emergency workers fear that the burning ship could slip its moorings.
7
坦克要耗费大量的燃料，而且会破坏道路。
tǎn kè yào hào fèi dà liáng de rán liào， ， ér qiě huì pò huài dào。
Tanks are heavy on fuel and destructive to roads.
8
大火当时有可能把货船上的油罐烧漏了，从而引燃原油。
dà huǒ dāng shí yǒu kě néng bǎ huò chuán shàng de yóu guàn shāo lòu le， ， cóng ér yǐn rán yuán。
Fire may have breached the cargo tanks and set the oil ablaze.
9
化石燃料（如煤和石油）属于有限资源。
huà shí rán liào（ （ rú méi hé shí） yóu ） shǔ yú yǒu xiàn。
The fossil fuels (coal and oil) are finite resources.
10
这种产品看起来和点燃后都与常见的香烟没什么两样。
zhè zhǒng chǎn pǐn kàn qǐ lái hé diǎn rán hòu dū yǔ cháng jiàn de xiāng yān méi shí mó liǎng yàng。
The product looks and burns like a regular cigarette.
Cultural Notes for 燃
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, fire is associated with warmth, family gatherings, and festivals. For instance, during the Lantern Festival, people light lanterns, symbolizing the igniting of hopes for the new year.
Word Family of 燃
Words Containing This Character20
燃烧ránshāoto ignite燃燒
燃料ránliàofuel
点燃diǎnránto ignite點燃
燃ránto burn
燃油rányóufuel oil
燃气ránqìfuel gas (coal gas, natural gas, methane etc)燃氣
燃起to ignite
燃料油fuel oil
自燃spontaneous combustion
燃放ránfàngto light
燃煤coal fuel
燃烧弹fire bomb燃燒彈
可燃inflammable
死灰复燃sth malevolent returns to haunt one死灰復燃
燃眉之急extreme emergency
核燃料nuclear fuel
内燃机internal combustion engine內燃機
易燃物flammable substance
阻燃fire resistant
燃点combustion point燃點
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 燃烧 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 燃
燃 (rán) generally means 'to ignite' or 'to burn,' while 燃烧 (ránshāo) specifically refers to the process of burning or combustion.
Yes, 燃 can be used figuratively to describe sparking hopes or starting a debate.
It's more common in written or formal contexts, but can be understood in casual conversations about fire or ignition.
