路灯

• Pinyin: lù dēng
• Hanzi breakdown: 路 = 足 + 各 (road); 灯 = 火 + 丁 (lamp)

Meaning

Street lamp; road light. A lamp installed on a post along a road or public pathway to illuminate it at night.

A common feature of urban and suburban infrastructure. 路灯亮了 (the street lamps have come on) is a colloquial way of saying dusk has fallen. In literature, 路灯 often appears as a symbol of city life, solitude, or the transition between day and night.

Examples

1. 入夜后，道路两旁的路灯相继亮起，将整条街道照得通明。 After night fell, the streetlights along both sides of the road lit up one after another, brightly illuminating the whole street.
2. 暴风雨过后，多根路灯杆被大风刮倒，交通部门连夜组织抢修。 After the storm, strong winds knocked down several streetlight poles, and the transportation department organized emergency repairs overnight.
3. 他独自走在昏黄路灯下的空街上，思绪随影子一起拉得很长。 He walked alone down the empty street under the dim streetlights, his thoughts stretching out as long as his shadow.

Usage Guide

Context: urban infrastructure, daily life, literary

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 新安装的太阳能路灯不仅节能环保，还能在停电时自动切换至蓄电模式，保障夜间照明。(The newly installed solar-powered street lamps are not only energy-efficient and eco-friendly, but can also automatically switch to battery mode during power outages to ensure night-time illumination.)
• 路灯的普及极大改善了居民夜间出行的安全性，尤其对偏远农村地区意义重大。(The widespread installation of street lamps has greatly improved the safety of residents travelling at night, especially in remote rural areas.)

Don't Say

• 将路灯与室内灯具或装饰灯混用 — 路灯 specifically refers to outdoor public road lighting installed on poles; for indoor lights use 灯具 or 照明设备

Origin & History

路 (road) + 灯 (lamp/light) — a lamp installed along a road

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal