火上加油 huǒ shàng jiā yóu

make things worse; stir up more anger

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency 41148th word

Definitions

  1. 1. to add oil to the fire (idiom); fig. to aggravate a situation
  2. 2. to enrage people and make matters worse

Characters

Character Meaning
火 huǒ HSK 2
fire; hot (popular); fiery or flaming
上 shàng HSK 1
to go up; on top; above
加 jiā HSK 3
to add; plus; to give (support, consideration etc) to (sth)
油 yóu HSK 4
oil; petroleum; oily