烽 (fēng) - Beacon — refers to signal fires used in & also used metaphorically for war or alarm signals.

烽Tone 1

fēng ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

枫惠

烽 · fēng

Beacon — refers to signal fires used in ancient China for military communication and warning of enemy attacks;

also used metaphorically for war or alarm signals.

Beacon — refers to signal fires used inalso used metaphorically for war or alarm signals.

Usage highlights

Beacon fireBeacon smokeBeacon towerBeacon signalWar beaconBorder beacon

Synonyms

  • 火— fire (shares the fire radical and fire-related meaning)
  • 燧— signal fire (similar military communication function)

Antonyms

  • 和— peace (antonym to the war/warning connotations)
  • 安— safety/security (opposite of alarm/warning)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The beacon fire warned of approaching enemies (烽火).
  • Ancient border guards lit beacon fires (点燃烽火).
  • The beacon tower stood on the hill (烽火台).
  • The beacon smoke rose into the sky (烽烟).

Collocations

  • Beacon fire(烽火)
  • Beacon smoke(烽烟)
  • Beacon tower(烽火台)
  • Beacon signal(烽燧)
  • War beacon(战烽)
  • Border beacon(边烽)

Idioms

  • Beacon fire forges the true hero(烽火铸英雄)
  • Beacon smoke rises for ten thousand miles(烽烟万里)
  • Beacon fires blazing everywhere(烽火连天)
  • Beacon towers stand tall(烽台耸立)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Beacon fires were crucial military communication systems along the Great Wall and borders during ancient Chinese dynasties.
  • The character appears frequently in classical poetry and historical texts describing warfare and border defense.
  • Metaphorically represents war, crisis, or urgent warning signals in modern usage.

FAQ