How to Write 灼 (zhuó) — Meaning “burn; scorch; bright”

Picture a metal spoon held over a fire; it becomes so hot that it glows bright red and burns your hand if you touch it. The fire (火) heats the spoon (勺), creating the burning sensation that 灼 represents.

Write the fire radical on the left first: dot, short left-falling stroke, dot then right-falling stroke (total 4 strokes). Then add the right side 勺: left-falling stroke, horizontal hook, dot — make sure the hook is balanced and the spoon part is slightly wider than the fire radical.

While 灭 (miè) means to extinguish or put out fire (symbolized by a cover over fire), and 灯 (dēng) means lamp or light (fire plus 丁), 灼 specifically describes the action or state of burning, scorching, or being intensely bright. The visual cue is the spoon (勺) instead of a cover or a nail-like component.

灼 appears mostly in written or formal contexts, describing physical heat or pain, such as 灼热 (scorching hot) and 灼伤 (burn injury). It can also describe a bright, penetrating gaze, like 目光灼灼 (eyes burning with intensity), adding a poetic or dramatic tone.

Common words containing 灼 include: 灼热 (zhuó rè) — scorching hot; burning hot; 灼伤 (zhuó shāng) — burn (injury); 灼痛 (zhuó tòng) — burning pain.