焚

The core sense is the consumption of an object by fire, specifically incineration or reduction to ash. This includes ritual burning (incense or offerings), punitive destruction (cities or archives), and technical heating used to induce chemical change or extract properties from minerals and herbs.

Primarily functions as a transitive verb (焚 + Object). In Classical Chinese, the passive ("was burned") is often implied by context without a formal marker.

Unlike 燃 (rán), which focuses on ignition and the initiation of fire, or 燒 (shāo), a general term for burning that includes domestic use or accidental fires, 焚 emphasizes total consumption, deliberate destruction, or the use of fuel.

Fanqie reading: 符分; Tang-period reading: bhiən.

The glyph combines 火 (fire) with a component historically associated with splitting wood, reinforcing the semantic link to the preparation of fuel for consumption.