How to Write 炽 (chì) — Meaning “blazing / burning”

Imagine a blazing fire (火) that is so intense it only (只) leaves behind a scorched mark. The visual of a fire burning everything except the word "only" helps link the components to the meaning of blazing.

Pay attention to the stroke order: first write the fire radical with four strokes (dot, left-falling, left-falling, dot), then the right side 只 with six strokes (vertical, horizontal fold, horizontal, horizontal, left-falling, dot). A common mistake is making the fire radical too wide—it should be narrow so the character stays balanced.

The right side changes the meaning: 灶 has 土 (earth) and means a kitchen stove, 灸 has 久 (long time) and refers to moxibustion treatment. In contrast, 炽 uses 只 and always relates to intense heat or passion. Visually, 炽 looks wider because of the 只 component, while 灶 and 灸 are more compact.

炽 appears in formal or literary contexts to describe extreme heat or strong emotions, such as in 炽热 (blazing hot) for weather or enthusiasm. It is also used in expressions like 炽烈 (fierce) for passions or conflicts. You won't find it in everyday conversation, but it is common in news, literature, or poetry.

Common words containing 炽 include: 炽热 (chì rè) — red-hot / blazing; 炽烈 (chì liè) — blazing / fierce; 炽盛 (chì shèng) — flourishing / blazing.