光泽 (guāng zé) — luster, gloss, shine | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

The shine or sheen on a surface (wood, hair, pearls). More about surface appearance than 光彩 or 光辉, which describe radiant glory.

noun

lusterglossshine

Examples

光泽。
Zhè zhǒng mù cái de biǎo miàn yǒu tiān rán de guāng zé.
This type of wood has a natural luster on its surface.
光泽。
Tā xǐ huan tóu fa yǒu jiàn kāng de guāng zé.
She likes her hair to have a healthy gloss.
光泽。
Zhēn zhū de guāng zé huì suí zhe guāng xiàn biàn huà.
The luster of pearls changes with the light.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

泽zéluster

“光” (light) and “泽” (luster) together describe a shiny surface.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

火火huǒfire
卩卩jiékneeling person

The shape 光 places 火 (fire) above 卩 (a kneeling person), showing fire over the head and the shining of light.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 澤; 泽 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

水水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

睪

睪yì澤zé

Same sound today

The traditional form 澤 pairs 水 (water) with 睪 for the sound; the simplified 泽 is a shorthand, so its parts are not the historical parts.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 Appearance

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