The literal act of firefighting is universally understood as a heroic and essential community service. In China, as elsewhere, it represents courage and collective action in the face of disaster. The more interesting cultural aspect lies in its figurative usage, which closely mirrors the Western idiom “putting out fires.” In the fast-paced, high-pressure environments of modern Chinese business and technology sectors, the term 救火 (jiùhuǒ) has become daily slang. It perfectly captures the feeling of being a “troubleshooter” or “fixer” who is constantly pulled from their regular tasks to handle sudden emergencies. While in Western culture, “putting out fires” often has a negative connotation—implying poor planning—in some Chinese work contexts, the person who is good at 救火 can be seen as highly valuable, reliable, and capable of handling pressure. They are the go-to person when a 危机 (wēijī), or crisis, strikes. The term reflects a pragmatic approach to problem-solving in dynamic situations.