标灯 (biāo dēng) — beacon; sign lamp; indicator light

Definition

noun

beaconsign lampindicator light

Measure word · 盏

。
Nà zuò biāo dēng zài yè wǎn hěn liàng.
That beacon is very bright at night.
标灯。
Fēi jī kàn dào le pǎo dào shàng de biāo dēng.
The plane saw the indicator light on the runway.
标灯。
Zhè ge biāo dēng yòng yú zhǐ yǐn chuán zhī.
This sign lamp is used to guide ships.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

标 gives the sense of a sign or mark, and 灯 is a lamp, together meaning a signaling lamp.

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 標; 标 is its simplified writing.

木票標

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

票

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

The traditional form 標 pairs 木 with 票, and 票 gives the sound; the simplified 标 is the modern form of that traditional character.

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.