光泽

• Pinyin: guāng zé
• Hanzi breakdown: 光 = 火 + 人 (light); 泽 = 氵+ 择 (water + select — moist, lustrous quality)

Meaning

Lustre; sheen; gloss. The quality of a surface that reflects light softly and evenly, giving an impression of polish, vitality, or beauty.

Used to describe the sheen of hair, skin, fabric, precious stones, polished wood, or metal. In literary language, the word takes on a metaphorical quality: 生命的光泽 (the lustre of life), 艺术的光泽 (the sheen of artistry). Distinguished from 光亮 (simply bright/shiny) by a more elegant, aesthetic connotation.

Examples

1. 这块翡翠通体碧绿，光泽温润，是难得一见的上品。 This piece of jade is a rich, vivid green with a soft, warm luster—truly a rare top-grade gem.
2. 营养均衡的饮食能让皮肤保持健康的光泽与弹性。 A balanced diet can keep your skin healthy, radiant, and elastic.
3. 老木匠打磨的红木家具呈现出岁月沉淀后独有的深沉光泽。 The rosewood furniture polished by the old carpenter shows a deep, distinctive sheen that comes from years of aging.

Usage Guide

Context: aesthetics, beauty, material description

Tone: appreciative

Do Say

• 经过精心打磨抛光，这件银器呈现出柔和而迷人的金属光泽。(After careful polishing, this silverware displays a soft and captivating metallic lustre.)
• 健康的头发应当富有弹性、充满光泽，而非干枯暗淡。(Healthy hair should be resilient and full of lustre, rather than dry and dull.)

Don't Say

• 这盏灯很有光泽 — use 亮度 or 光亮 for the brightness of a lamp; 光泽 refers to the inherent surface quality or sheen of a material, not the intensity of a light source

Origin & History

光 (light, brightness) + 泽 (moisture, lustre, sheen). The combination conveys the idea of moist, living brightness — as opposed to harsh glare.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal