灯

• Pinyin: dēng
• Hanzi breakdown: 灯 = 火 (fire) + 丁 (phonetic component)

Meaning

Lamp; light. A general term for any light source or lighting device.

Covers all types of lights: room lights, desk lamps, traffic lights, streetlights, and decorative lanterns. Often combined with other characters for specific types such as 台灯 (desk lamp), 红绿灯 (traffic light).

Examples

1. 房间里的灯坏了，需要换一个。 The light in the room is broken and needs to be replaced.
2. 请帮我把灯关掉，我要睡觉了。 Please turn off the light for me — I want to sleep.
3. 马路上的灯很亮，走路很安全。 The streetlights are very bright, so it's safe to walk.

Usage Guide

Context: home, daily life, traffic

Tone: practical

Do Say

• 请把灯打开。(Please turn on the light.)
• 红灯停，绿灯行。(Stop at the red light, go at the green light.)

Don't Say

• 不要把'灯'和'灯笼'混淆 — 灯 is a general light, while 灯笼 specifically means lantern, a traditional decorative item.

Origin & History

Originally written 燈 in traditional Chinese. The simplified form 灯 retains the fire radical 火 on the left, reflecting its historical association with fire-based lighting.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal