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台灯 (tái dēng) — desk lamp, table lamp

Definition

台灯 is a lamp designed to sit on a desk or table — a specific type of 灯 (lamp/light), distinguished by its size, placement, and use for close tasks like reading.

noun
desk lamptable lamp
Measure word · 盏

Examples

  • 台灯。
    Wǒ měi tiān wǎn shàng yòng tái dēng kàn shū.
    I use a desk lamp to read every evening.
  • 台灯。
    Qǐng bǎ tái dēng guān shàng.
    Please turn off the desk lamp.
  • 台灯。
    Zhè ge tái dēng de yán sè hěn hǎo kàn.
    The color of this desk lamp is very nice.

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.

台táitable
灯dēnglamp

A 台, 'table', with 灯, 'lamp', names a lamp placed on a table.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 臺; 台 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 台 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (窗台, 电视台) it is 臺; in others (台灯, 台球) (台风) it is 檯 or 台 or 颱.

The traditional form 臺 is the 喬 + 室 form; earlier versions combined a sound part with 室, and an old reading saw it as a watch tower.

Open 台 →

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 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5Home & Housing

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