Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
火灾 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
火灾huǒzāifire (that burns buildings etc)HSK 6, unknown, 11 strokes, rank #3491, Hard
huǒzāi(huo3zai1) T3
  1. 1fire (that burns buildings etc)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

火灾(火災)huǒzāi(huo3zai1)

火灾 (huǒzāi) refers to a fire disaster, typically involving uncontrolled flames that can cause significant damage to buildings and property. It is commonly used in emergency situations, news reports, and discussions about fire safety and prevention.

Strokes11Frequency#3491DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

Fire safety is a significant concern in China, especially in densely populated urban areas. 火灾 has been a critical topic in the aftermath of several high-profile building fires, leading to stricter safety regulations.

Memory Tip

Imagine a big '火' (fire) that has gone wild, causing a '灾' (disaster). Picture firefighters rushing to the scene, as the flames engulf the buildings, making it memorable for its urgency and gravity.

Meanings of 火灾

huǒzāi(huo3zai1)
1fire (that burns buildings etc)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 火灾

火灾Simplified
火災Traditional
11Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRB2

Podcast: 火灾

JasonAmy

Podcast: 火灾

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 火灾

Quick Contrast

火灾 (huǒzāi) vs 火灾事故 (huǒzāi shìgù) — use 火灾 for a general reference to fire disasters, while 火灾事故 specifies an incident involving a fire.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 火灾 with simply '火' (fire), which doesn't imply disaster. Use 火灾 in formal contexts like news or safety discussions, and remember it's a noun phrase. Be careful with the tones to avoid miscommunication.

HSK Study Tips

Though 火灾 is not an HSK vocabulary word, it connects to HSK 3 words like 火 (fire) and 灾 (disaster). Focus on understanding the individual characters and their interaction in compound words for better comprehension.

Common Mistakes

Learners may mistakenly use 火灾 to refer to any fire, such as a campfire or cooking fire, instead of a disaster. Remember to reserve 火灾 for serious incidents only.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 火灾

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 火灾 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Component Characters

火huǒfire
HSK 44 strokes火
View full entry
灾zāidisaster
HSK 67 strokes火
View full entry

How to say fire (that burns buildings etc) in Chinese

“fire (that burns buildings etc)” in Chinese is火灾huǒzāi

火灾 (huǒzāi) refers to a fire disaster, typically involving uncontrolled flames that can cause significant damage to buildings and property. It is commonly used in emergency situations, news reports, and discussions about fire safety and prevention.

When to use 火灾

Learners often confuse 火灾 with simply '火' (fire), which doesn't imply disaster. Use 火灾 in formal contexts like news or safety discussions, and remember it's a noun phrase. Be careful with the tones to avoid miscommunication.

火灾 or something close to it

火灾 (huǒzāi) vs 火灾事故 (huǒzāi shìgù) — use 火灾 for a general reference to fire disasters, while 火灾事故 specifies an incident involving a fire.

What learners get wrong

Learners may mistakenly use 火灾 to refer to any fire, such as a campfire or cooking fire, instead of a disaster. Remember to reserve 火灾 for serious incidents only.

Write 火灾

火
灾

Practice writing 火灾 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Frequently Asked Questions about 火灾

火 refers to fire in general, while 火灾 specifically indicates a disastrous fire that causes damage.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 火灾?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.