1.
live ember, kindling fire
A small flame or glowing coal kept alive to start a new fire. Historically important before matches were available.
火種を絶やさないようにする。
Keep the fire from going out.
昔は火種を大切に守っていた。
In the old days, people carefully preserved their fire embers.
囲炉裏の火種を灰の中に埋めて朝まで残した。
They buried the embers in the ash of the hearth to keep them until morning.
2.
source of conflict, spark (of trouble)
Something that could trigger a conflict, dispute, or problem. Used figuratively to describe a latent cause of trouble.
その問題は紛争の火種になりかねない。
That issue could become a source of conflict.
不満の火種はまだくすぶっている。
The seeds of discontent are still smoldering.
領土問題は両国間の火種として長年残り続けている。
The territorial dispute has remained a source of tension between the two countries for many years.
USAGE:
The figurative sense (source of conflict) is more common in modern usage than the literal sense. Often used with verbs like くすぶる (to smolder), 残る (to remain), and なる (to become).
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 紛争の火種: source of conflict
- 火種になる: to become a cause of trouble
- 火種を残す: to leave behind seeds of conflict
- 火種がくすぶる: the embers of conflict smolder