挑灯拨火

挑燈撥火
tiǎodēngbōhuǒ
  1. to sow discord
  2. to provoke

CEDICT

比喻惹是生非。

重編國語辭典

Entry Composition

1 挑灯 tiǎodēng
  1. to light a lamp
  2. to raise a lantern
2 拨 bō
  1. to push aside with the hand, foot, a stick etc
  2. to dial
  3. to allocate
  4. to set aside (money)
  5. to poke (the fire)
  6. to pluck (a string instrument)
  7. to turn round
  8. classifier: group, batch
3 火 huǒ
  1. fire
  2. urgent
  3. ammunition
  4. fiery or flaming
  5. internal heat (Chinese medicine)
  6. hot (popular)
  7. classifier for military units (old)
  8. Kangxi radical 86

Related entries

挑嘴 tiǎozuǐ to sow discord
调拨 tiáobō to sow discord
播弄 bōnong
  1. to order people about
  2. to stir up
  3. to sow discord
惹 rě
  1. to provoke
  2. to irritate
  3. to vex
  4. to stir up
  5. to anger
  6. to attract (troubles)
  7. to cause (problems)
别惹我了。

Don't get me started.

Don't provoke me.

Source: Tatoeba

惹人 rěrén
  1. to provoke (esp. annoyance, disgust etc)
  2. to offend
  3. to attract (attention)
無論她去哪裡，她都是惹人喜愛的。

Wherever she goes, she is well liked.

Source: Tatoeba

挑起 tiǎoqǐ
  1. to provoke
  2. to stir up
  3. to incite
他挑起爭議性高的話題，製造紛爭。

He sows discord by raising controversial subjects.

Source: Tatoeba

挑逗 tiǎodòu
  1. to provoke
  2. to entice
  3. to lure
  4. to tantalize
  5. to tease
  6. to titillate
挟细拿粗 xiéxìnácū to provoke
撩惹 liáorě
  1. to provoke
  2. to tease
撩拨 liáobō
  1. to provoke
  2. to tease
撩逗 liáodòu
  1. to provoke
  2. to tease
调唆 tiáosuō
  1. to provoke
  2. to stir up (trouble)
  3. to instigate
招 zhāo
  1. to recruit
  2. to provoke
  3. to beckon
  4. to incur
  5. to infect
  6. contagious
  7. a move (chess)
  8. a maneuver
  9. device
  10. trick
  11. to confess
她上飞机前，给我招了招手。

She waved at me before she got on board the plane.

Source: Tatoeba

招惹 zhāorě
  1. to court (trouble); to attract (attention)
  2. to provoke (sb)
挑弄 tiǎonòng
  1. to incite
  2. to provoke
  3. to tease
撩 liáo
  1. to tease
  2. to provoke
  3. to stir up (emotions)
撩动 liáodòng
  1. to stir up
  2. to provoke
讨 tǎo
  1. to invite
  2. to provoke
  3. to demand or ask for
  4. to send armed forces to suppress
  5. to denounce or condemn
  6. to marry (a woman)
  7. to discuss or study
逗弄 dòunòng
  1. to tease
  2. to provoke
  3. to play with (a child, animal etc)
約翰逗弄他的狗。

John makes fun of his dog.

Source: Tatoeba

挑动 tiǎodòng
  1. to entice
  2. to arouse
  3. to provoke
搦 nuò
  1. (literary) to hold (in the hand)
  2. to challenge
  3. to provoke
调弄 tiáonòng
  1. to tease
  2. to make fun of
  3. to provoke
  4. to stir up (trouble)
逗情 dòuqíng
  1. to flirt
  2. to titillate
  3. to provoke
滋生 zīshēng
  1. to breed
  2. to flourish
  3. to cause
  4. to provoke
  5. to create
冲撞 chōngzhuàng
  1. to collide
  2. jerking motion
  3. to impinge
  4. to offend
  5. to provoke
调 tiáo
  1. to harmonize
  2. to reconcile
  3. to blend
  4. to suit well
  5. to adjust
  6. to regulate
  7. to season (food)
  8. to provoke
  9. to incite
汤姆把电视调大声。

Tom turned up the TV.

Source: Tatoeba