炎 yán inflammation
flame; blaze; hot
How it came to be
One fire stacked on another. In the script, doubling a sign means a lot of it. This is not a fire but heat, which gives the swelling and redness of an inflamed spot.
How it is used
- Two threads: scorching heat and (medically) inflammation - 炎热 (yánrè) blazing hot (of weather).
- Medical suffix '-itis': 发炎 (fāyán) to become inflamed, 炎症 (yánzhèng) inflammation, 肺炎 (fèiyán) pneumonia, 鼻炎 rhinitis.
- The doubled 火 (fire over fire) intensifies to heat/inflammation.
- 炎黄子孙 (Yán-Huáng zǐsūn) = descendants of the Yan and Huang emperors - the Chinese people.