電灯

• Reading: でんとう
• Romaji: dentou
• Kanji breakdown: 電 (den) — electricity, lightning; 灯 (tou/hi) — lamp, light
• Pronunciation: /de.n.toː/

Meaning

Electric light; lamp. A device that produces light using electricity.

A noun for electric lighting in general. Slightly more formal or literary than 電気 (denki), which is the everyday word for lights. Common in the phrase 電灯をつける (turn on the light) and 懐中電灯 (flashlight / torch). Appears in reading passages and descriptions of rooms or buildings.

Examples

1. 暗くなったので電灯をつけました。 It got dark, so I turned on the light.
2. 懐中電灯を持ってキャンプに行った。 I brought a flashlight and went camping.
3. 古い家の電灯が暗くて見えにくい。 The lights in the old house are dim and hard to see by.

Usage Guide

Context: home, daily life, camping

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 電 (electricity, lightning) and 灯 (lamp, light). Literally means an electric lamp — a light powered by electricity rather than fire or oil.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal