"Rán méi" literally combines 燃 (rán, 'to burn') and 煤 (méi, 'coal'), forming a noun meaning 'coal-burning'—the process or practice of burning coal as fuel. It is commonly used in environmental, energy, and industrial contexts to refer to coal combustion, especially in power generation or heating systems.

This term appears frequently in discussions about air pollution, climate policy, and energy transition—for example, when comparing coal-burning with cleaner alternatives like natural gas or renewables. While it functions primarily as a noun, it can also modify other nouns (e.g., 燃煤电厂, 'coal-fired power plant'). It carries a neutral-to-technical register and is rarely used in casual daily conversation, appearing instead in news reports, official documents, and scientific discourse.