厝火积薪 — “To place fire under a pile of firewood”

厝火积薪 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to place fire under a pile of firewood”. Metaphorically, to describe a situation where a great hidden danger exists or a potential disaster is brewing, often referring to a critical state that, if not addressed, will lead to serious consequences. Literally, “place fire under accumulated firewood”.

Frequency

厝火积薪 Pronunciation and Pinyin

厝火积薪 Character Breakdown

Stroke Order

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
厝	cuò	10	place, store, or house
火	huǒ	4	fire, urgent, popular
积	jī	10	accumulate, product
薪	xīn	16	Firewood for passing on tradition

Example Sentence with 厝火积薪

工厂的安全隐患如果不及时排除，就像厝火积薪，迟早会酿成大祸。

If the safety hazards in the factory are not promptly eliminated, it's like placing fire under a pile of firewood, and a major disaster will eventually occur.

Origin and Story of 厝火积薪

During the early Western Han Dynasty, the famous statesman Jia Yi repeatedly submitted memorials to Emperor Wen, detailing the social ills of the time. In his renowned 'Memorial on Political Affairs,' he pointed out the precarious political situation, noting many actions that defied reason and harmed morality. He argued that these problems should be rectified, warning that neglecting them would be as perilous as placing fire under a pile of firewood, inevitably leading to disaster.