火種(ひだね)

ひだね
noun
live ember; source of conflict
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(ひだね)を絶(た)やさないようにする。
Keep the fire from going out.
昔(むかし)は火種(ひだね)を大切(たいせつ)に守(まも)っていた。
In the old days, people carefully preserved their fire embers.
囲炉裏(いろり)の火種(ひだね)を灰(はい)の中(なか)に埋(う)めて朝(あさ)まで残(のこ)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(もんだい)は紛争(ふんそう)の火種(ひだね)になりかねない。
That issue could become a source of conflict.
不満(ふまん)の火種(ひだね)はまだくすぶっている。
The seeds of discontent are still smoldering.
領土(りょうど)問題(もんだい)は両国(りょうこく)間(かん)の火種(ひだね)として長年(ながねん)残(のこ)り続(つづ)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(のこ)る (to remain), and なる (to become).

Common collocations

Related Words

Compare: 火元(ひもと) (origin of a fire)
general
Added 2026.2.24 20:38 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
13000/13411_hidane