hidden danger; latent crisis; tinderbox situation
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesidiom
to place fire under a pile of firewood; a lurking danger; hidden crisis; imminent peril
literaryVariant form of 厝火积薪 (cuò huǒ jī xīn). Used to describe situations where danger is present but not yet manifest, often due to negligence or shortsightedness.
Zhè这
zhǒng种
hū忽
shì视
huán环
jìng境
bǎo保
hù护
de的
fā发
zhǎn展
mó模
shì式
，
wú无
yì异
yú于
jī积
xīn薪
cuò厝
huǒ火
。
This development model that ignores environmental protection is no different from placing fire under a pile of firewood.
Dāng当
jú局
duì对
cái财
zhèng政
wēi危
jī机
shì视
ér而
bú不
jiàn见
，
shí实
nǎi乃
jī积
xīn薪
cuò厝
huǒ火
，
huò祸
huàn患
wú无
qióng穷
。
The authorities turning a blind eye to the fiscal crisis is truly like placing fire under firewood, leading to endless disasters.
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Zài在
jū居
mín民
qū区
chǔ储
cún存
dà大
liàng量
yì易
rán燃
wù物
，
jiǎn简
zhí直
shì是
jī积
xīn薪
cuò厝
huǒ火
。
Storing large quantities of flammable materials in residential areas is simply like keeping a tinderbox.
Jī积
xīn薪
cuò厝
huǒ火
，
qí其
huàn患
lì立
zhì至
，
bù不
kě可
bù不
chá察
。
With fire placed under firewood, disaster will arrive immediately—this must not go unexamined.