日光灯 (rì guāng dēng) — fluorescent lamp

Definition

noun

fluorescent lamp

Measure word · 支

日光灯。
Zhè jiān jiào shì ān zhuāng le liù gēn rì guāng dēng.
This classroom has six fluorescent lamps installed.
日光灯。
rì guāng dēng De guāng xiàn bǐ bái chì dēng gèng jūn yún.
The light from fluorescent lamps is more even than incandescent bulbs.
日光灯。
Nǐ bāng wǒ bǎ huài de rì guāng dēng huàn diào ba.
Help me replace the broken fluorescent lamp.

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.

日光sunlight

偏正Modifier + head

日光 means sunlight, and 灯 is a lamp, so 日光灯 is a lamp with daylight-like light.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

日 originally drew the sun. A mark was added inside to tell it apart from similar square shapes.

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

The shape 光 places 火 (fire) above 卩 (a kneeling person), showing fire over the head and the shining of light.

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.