noun
firelight; shadows or forms moving in firelight
Refers to the light of a fire and the shadows or silhouettes it casts, often evoking a quiet, atmospheric scene. Used in literary or descriptive contexts.
囲炉裏の火影が壁に揺れていた。
The firelight from the hearth flickered on the wall.
火影に浮かぶ彼の横顔が美しかった。
His profile, lit by the firelight, was beautiful.
Compound of 火 (hi, 'fire') and 影 (kage, 'shadow'), with rendaku voicing of the second element. The reading ほかげ is a straightforward combination of the kun'yomi readings.