光耀 (guāng yào) — brilliant, glorious, honorable | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Literary adjective meaning 'brilliant, glorious' — used to praise outstanding achievements, contributions, or family honor. Carries a more elevated, formal tone than plain words like 伟大.

adjective

brilliantglorioushonorable

Examples

光耀。
Tā de chéng jiù fēi cháng guāng yào.
His achievements are very brilliant.
光耀。
Zhè shì jiā zú zuì guāng yào de yí kè.
This is the family's most glorious moment.
光耀。
Tā wèi guó jiā zuò chū le guāng yào de gòng xiàn.
He made glorious contributions to the country.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

光 and 耀 both shine, giving a brilliant, glorious sense.

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.

光翟耀

Meaning part形符xíngfú

光光guānglight; beam; ray

Sound part声符shēngfú

翟

翟zhái耀yào

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

耀 has 光 (light; beam; ray) beside 翟, and 翟 gives the sound.

Appears in

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