add fuel to the fire; make things worse
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesverb
to add fuel to the fire; to make someone angrier or to worsen a situation
Also commonly expressed as 火上浇油. This idiom is used metaphorically to describe actions that escalate conflicts, emotions, or problems rather than resolving them.
Nǐ你
zhè这
shí时
hou候
pī批
píng评
tā他
，
jiǎn简
zhí直
shì是
huǒ火
shàng上
jiā加
yóu油
。
Criticizing him at this moment is simply adding fuel to the fire.
Méi媒
tǐ体
de的
bù不
shí实
bào报
dào道
zhǐ只
huì会
huǒ火
shàng上
jiā加
yóu油
，
ràng让
máo矛
dùn盾
gèng更
jiā加
jī激
huà化
。
The media's false reports will only add fuel to the fire, intensifying the conflict.
Show 1 more exampleShow fewer examples
Bié别
zài再
shuō说
le了
，
nǐ你
zhè这
shì是
zài在
huǒ火
shàng上
jiā加
yóu油
！
Stop talking, you are just making things worse!