‘扇火’ literally means 'to fan fire' — the verb 扇 (shān) means 'to fan' or 'to wave (something) to create airflow', and 火 (huǒ) means 'fire'. Together, they describe the physical act of fanning flames to make them burn more intensely, such as with a fan, paper, or bellows. This action is common in traditional cooking, blacksmithing, or outdoor fire-making.

Figuratively, 扇火 often appears in idiomatic or metaphorical expressions meaning 'to stir up' or 'to intensify' — especially negative emotions, conflicts, or rumors. For example, someone who spreads gossip to worsen a dispute is said to be 扇火. Though less frequent in modern spoken Chinese than phrases like 挑拨 (tiǎobō, 'to incite'), 扇火 retains vivid imagery and appears in literature, news commentary, and formal speech to convey deliberate escalation.