飞蛾扑火 — “To court disaster or invite self-destruction”
飞蛾扑火 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to court disaster or invite self-destruction”. To rush to one's doom, like a moth drawn irresistibly to a flame despite the fatal consequences. Literally, “Moth flies into fire”.
飞蛾扑火 Pronunciation and Pinyin
- 飞fēi
- 蛾é
- 扑pū
- 火huǒ
飞蛾扑火 Character Breakdown
Example Sentence with 飞蛾扑火
Origin and Story of 飞蛾扑火
During the Southern Dynasties' Liang period, there was a talented scholar named Dao Jin. He was the grandson of Dao Gai, who served as a Jinzi Guanglu Daifu (Gold-Purple Grand Master of Splendid Happiness) in the imperial court. Dao Jin was highly favored by Emperor Xiao Yan, and they frequently composed poetry together. Emperor Xiao Yan once specifically bestowed a poem upon Dao Jin's grandfather, which contained the lines: "Grinding ink to compose articles, the brush flies to write letters, like a moth rushing to the fire, how can one regret the burning of one's body? When old age has certainly arrived, this task can be entrusted to the young Jin."
Idioms Related to 飞蛾扑火
Synonyms of 飞蛾扑火
More idioms starting with 飞
- fēi飞shū书zǒu走xí檄swiftly write and dispatch documents
- fēi飞yún云chè掣diàn电extremely swift like flying clouds and flashing lightning
- fēi飞chú刍wǎn挽lì粒swiftly transport provisions
- fēi飞chú刍wǎn挽sù粟rapidly transport provisions
- fēi飞chú刍wǎn挽liáng粮rapidly transport provisions
- fēi飞chú刍zhuǎn转xiǎng饷rapidly transport provisions
- fēi飞shēng升téng腾shí实Soaring fame and solid reality
- fēi飞tǔ土zhú逐ròu宍drive away wild animals with clods
- fēi飞tǔ土zhú逐hài害throw earth to drive away pests
- fēi飞tǔ土zhú逐ròu肉hunt by throwing clods of earth
- fēi飞qiáng墙zǒu走bì壁scale walls and leap roofs
- fēi飞shēng声téng腾shí实soaring reputation and solid achievements
Questions about 飞蛾扑火
- What does 飞蛾扑火 mean?
- 飞蛾扑火 (fēi é pū huǒ) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to court disaster or invite self-destruction”.
- How do you pronounce 飞蛾扑火?
- 飞蛾扑火 is pronounced fēi é pū huǒ in Mandarin Chinese.
- What does 飞蛾扑火 literally mean?
- Literally, 飞蛾扑火 means “Moth flies into fire”. It is used to mean “to court disaster or invite self-destruction”.
- Where does 飞蛾扑火 come from?
- 飞蛾扑火 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
- What is the Chinese definition of 飞蛾扑火?
- 飞蛾扑到火上，比喻自取灭亡。