远光灯 (yuǎn guāng dēng) — high beam (headlights)

Definition

noun
high beam (headlights)
Measure word · 盏

Examples

  • ，远光灯，。
    Wǎn shàng kāi chē shí, qǐng guān bì yuǎn guāng dēng, yǐ miǎn yǐng xiǎng duì miàn chē liàng.
    When driving at night, please turn off your high beams to avoid affecting oncoming vehicles.
  • 远光灯。
    Zài wù tiān shǐ yòng yuǎn guāng dēng fǎn ér huì ràng shì xiàn gèng chà.
    Using high beams in foggy weather actually makes visibility worse.
  • LED远光灯，。
    Tā de chē zhuāng le LED yuǎn guāng dēng, fēi cháng liàng.
    His car is equipped with LED high beams, very bright.

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.

远光far light
远yuǎnfar光guānglight
偏正Modifier + head
灯dēnglamp

远光 is the far-reaching light, and 灯 is the lamp producing it.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辶Written in full as辵chuòwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
元
元yuán远yuǎn
Same sound today

远 combines 辶, meaning walk, with 元, used for its sound.

Open 远 →

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.

Open 光 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
火火huǒ
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.

Open 灯 →

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