关灯 (guān dēng) — to turn off the light

Definition

A common separable verb meaning 'turn off the light'. Like other 离合词 (e.g. 关门, 开会), it splits for aspect and object placement: 关了灯, 关一次灯.

verb

to turn off the light

关灯。
Shuì jiào qián bié wàng le guān dēng.
Don't forget to turn off the light before sleeping.
，。
Tā yǐ jīng guān le dēng, fáng jiān hěn àn.
He has already turned off the light, and the room is very dark.
。
Nǐ chū mén qián jì de guān liǎng cì dēng.
Remember to turn off the light twice before you go out.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

关 means to shut or turn off and 灯 is a light, so the action is directed at the light.

Characters in this word

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 關; 关 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

門門méndoor

Sound part声符shēngfú

𢇅

𢇅𢇅關guān

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

For 关, the traditional form 關 shows 門 as a door and 𢇅 as two wooden sticks locking it, with ring-like marks on top.

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

火丁灯

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

丁

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

灯 pairs 火, which shows fire, with 丁, which gives the sound.

Appears in