红灯 (hóng dēng) — traffic red light; warning signal; red flag | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

traffic red lightwarning signalred flag

Measure word · 个

Examples

红灯，。
Qián miàn shì hóng dēng, qǐng tíng chē.
There's a red light ahead, please stop the car.
红灯，。
Gōng sī cái wù chū xiàn le hóng dēng, xū yào lì kè chǔ lǐ.
A red flag has appeared in the company's finances; it needs immediate attention.
红灯，。
Kàn dào hóng dēng jiù yào tíng xià lái, bù néng chuǎng.
When you see a red light, you must stop and not run it.

Origin

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.

灯dēnglight/lamp

红 gives the color and 灯 gives the light, so 红灯 is a red 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 紅; 红 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糸糸mìsilk

Sound part声符shēngfú

工

工gōng紅hóng

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

The traditional form 紅 puts 糸 (silk) next to 工, which gives the sound; the simplified 红 is a later shorthand.

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

丁dīng灯dēng

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

Roads & Traffic

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