Chinese idiom · 成语
死灰复燃
Meaning
Dead ashes reignite; revival of what was lost.
Character by character
Origin and story
historical accountSima Qian's biography of Han Anguo records a reversal of fortune in the Western Han. While Anguo is imprisoned, a jail official named Tian Jia humiliates him. Anguo asks whether cold ashes can never burn again. Tian Jia replies that if they do, he will urinate on them. Soon Anguo is appointed to a senior post in Liang, and Tian Jia flees. Anguo threatens consequences unless he returns; when the frightened official apologizes, Anguo laughs at his earlier boast and ultimately treats him well. The image originally concerned a fallen person's recovery of power. It later broadened to the revival of something thought extinguished, often something unwelcome.
Sources and further reading
In everyday life
那场争论刚平息几天，又因一条留言死灰复燃。
That argument had only been quiet for a few days before a comment reignited it.
Often describes the return of a dispute, harmful practice, or defeated force.