burning
burning — adjective
1. actively in flames; something that is on fire and giving off heat and light at t
actively in flames; something that is on fire and giving off heat and light at this moment.
Firefighters pulled an elderly man out of the burning house on Maple Street.
attributive: a burning + noun (object on fire)
Sparks from the burning logs jumped onto the rug, and Maya quickly stamped them out.
The children sat in a circle around the burning campfire, roasting marshmallows.
A burning candle on the windowsill flickered every time the wind blew through the curtain.
Carlos smelled smoke and ran to the kitchen, where a tea towel was burning on the stove.
- extinguished
no longer on fire
文法句型
a burning + noun
be burning
用法筆記
Mostly attributive (a burning building, a burning candle). When predicative, the subject is the thing in flames itself, not the fire — say 'the house is burning', not 'the fire is burning the house' for this sense.
常見錯誤
2. so hot that it almost feels like fire on your skin, even though nothing is actua
so hot that it almost feels like fire on your skin, even though nothing is actually on fire — used about the sun, weather, sand, metal in the sun, and similar things.
Tourists hopped from foot to foot on the burning sand as they ran toward the sea.
collocation: the burning sand / sun / pavement
Under the burning August sun, the workers stopped every hour to drink cold water.
Lina touched the car door and pulled her hand back — the metal was burning after a day in the heat.
After two hours of climbing, my cheeks were burning and my shirt was soaked with sweat.
- freezing
extremely cold
文法句型
the burning sun/heat/sand
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: in sense 2 there are no real flames. Common subjects are surfaces (sand, metal, pavement), weather words (sun, heat), and body parts that feel hot (cheeks, forehead, skin).
常見錯誤
3. describes a pain or feeling in the body that is sharp and stings, as if a small
describes a pain or feeling in the body that is sharp and stings, as if a small fire were touching the skin from inside — used about pain, fevers, throats, eyes, and cuts.
Maya woke at 3 a.m. with a burning pain in her stomach and called her doctor in the morning.
collocation: a burning pain / sensation
After eating the chili, Marcus felt a burning sensation on his tongue that lasted ten minutes.
A burning fever kept the little boy in bed for three days, and his mother stayed home from work.
The cleaning spray made my eyes water and gave me a burning feeling in my nose.
- soothing
easing pain or irritation
文法句型
a burning + body-state noun
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 2 ('extremely hot'): sense 3 is about an internal body sensation, not the temperature of an outside object. Common collocates: 'burning pain', 'burning sensation', 'burning fever', 'burning throat'.
常見錯誤
4. of a wish, ambition, or emotion: so powerful that the person cannot stop thinkin
of a wish, ambition, or emotion: so powerful that the person cannot stop thinking about it and feels driven to act on it.
Since the age of six, Lina had a burning ambition to dance with the Royal Ballet in London.
collocation: a burning ambition / desire / wish
Marcus left his office job because of a burning desire to write novels in the countryside.
After the betrayal, the old king felt a burning hatred for his younger brother that lasted twenty years.
The young scientist had a burning curiosity about black holes that drove her to study every night.
- intense
strong but more neutral and broader
- fierce
strong and aggressive; often of competition or loyalty
- passionate
driven by deep emotion; positive tone
- mild
weak or gentle in feeling
文法句型
a burning desire/ambition/hatred (to do sth)
用法筆記
Almost always attributive, in front of an emotion or wish noun (desire, ambition, wish, hatred, love, curiosity, passion). You cannot say 'her desire is burning' for this sense.
常見錯誤
5. of a topic, question, or problem: so important that people want an answer or act
of a topic, question, or problem: so important that people want an answer or action right away and will not wait.
Climate change is the burning issue of our generation, and young voters keep raising it at every debate.
collocation: a burning issue / question / problem
The reporter began the press conference with the burning question on every parent's mind: when will the schools reopen?
Housing prices have become a burning problem in Taipei, with families waiting years to find an affordable flat.
At dinner, Aunt Rosa raised the burning topic that nobody else dared to mention: where would Grandma live next year?
- trivial
of little importance
文法句型
a burning question/issue/problem
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 4: sense 5 modifies cold-headed nouns (question, issue, problem, topic) — things to be discussed or solved. Sense 4 modifies feeling nouns (desire, hatred). Almost always attributive.