飞蛾扑火
飞蛾扑火 (fēi é pū huǒ) literally means “flying moth rushes fire” and expresses “be irresistibly drawn toward self-destruction”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving relationships and character.
Also searched as: fei e pu huo, fei e pu huo,飞蛾扑火 meaning, 飞蛾扑火 in english
Be irresistibly drawn toward self-destruction
Pronunciation: fēi é pū huǒ Literal meaning: Flying moth rushes fire
Origin & Usage
Han Dynasty naturalists first documented this self-destructive phenomenon of moths (飞蛾) rushing toward flames (扑火). Tang Dynasty poets transformed this natural observation into a powerful metaphor for human self-destructive fascinations. The biological accuracy makes it particularly compelling - moths genuinely exhibit this behavior, creating a perfect natural metaphor for irrational attraction to harmful things.
Examples
English: "Despite repeated financial disasters, he continued investing in high-risk ventures"
Chinese: 尽管屡次遭受财务灾难，他仍继续投资高风险项目
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yǐ xīn huàn xīn
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sài wēng shī mǎ
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Value harmony above all
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Offer modest view to inspire better
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tóng zhōu gòng jì
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 飞蛾扑火 mean in English?
飞蛾扑火 (fēi é pū huǒ) literally translates to “Flying moth rushes fire” and is used to express “Be irresistibly drawn toward self-destruction”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Relationships & Character category.
When is 飞蛾扑火 used?
Situation: Despite repeated financial disasters, he continued investing in high-risk ventures
What is the pinyin for 飞蛾扑火?
The pinyin pronunciation for 飞蛾扑火 is “fēi é pū huǒ”.