火冒三丈
火冒三丈 (huǒ mào sān zhàng) literally means “fire rises three zhang”and expresses “explode in extreme anger or rage”.This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: huo mao san zhang, huo mao san zhang,火冒三丈 meaning, 火冒三丈 in english
Pronunciation: huǒ mào sān zhàng Literal meaning: Fire rises three zhang
Origin & Usage
Tang Dynasty theater directors first used this vivid image of anger as fire (火) rising (冒) three zhang (三丈) high - about 10 meters - in stage directions. Actors were instructed to physically manifest rage at this scale to convey its overwhelming nature. Ming Dynasty writers brought this theatrical metaphor into literature, where it perfectly captured those moments when provocation creates an explosive emotional response visible to all observers.
When to Use
Situation: The manager erupted in rage upon discovering the accounting discrepancy
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Related Chinese Idioms
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qiān lǐ tiáo tiáo
Travel a great distance
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民富国强
mín fù guó qiáng
Prosperous people and powerful nation
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国泰民安
guó tài mín ān
National peace and public security
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太平盛世
tài píng shèng shì
Golden age of peace and prosperity
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sì hǎi shēng píng
Peace everywhere; universal harmony
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ān tǔ zhòng qiān
Prefer stability; reluctant to relocate
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故土难离
gù tǔ nán lí
Hard to leave one's homeland
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落叶归根
luò yè guī gēn
Return to one's roots; go back home
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 火冒三丈 mean in English?
火冒三丈 (huǒ mào sān zhàng) literally translates to “Fire rises three zhang”and is used to express “Explode in extreme anger or rage”. This Chinese idiom belongs to theLife Philosophy category..
When is 火冒三丈 used?
Situation: The manager erupted in rage upon discovering the accounting discrepancy
What is the pinyin for 火冒三丈?
The pinyin pronunciation for 火冒三丈 is “huǒ mào sān zhàng”.
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