油光 (yóu guāng) — shiny; glossy (especially from oil or varnish)

Definition

Adjective-like verb describing a surface that looks slick with oil, wax, or varnish — 'slick and shiny,' as in waxed wood or an oily face. Not used for general 'shiny' like polished metal.

verb
shinyglossy (especially from oil or varnish)

Examples

  • 油光，。
    Tā de liǎn kàn shàng qù hěn yóu guāng, xiàng shì tú le yóu.
    His face looks very shiny, as if oiled.
  • 油光。
    Zhè zhāng zhuō zi dǎ le là yǐ hòu biàn de yóu guāng fā liàng.
    This table became glossy and shiny after being waxed.
  • 油光，。
    Gāng shuā guò qīng qī de yǐ zi biǎo miàn yóu guāng, hěn piào liang.
    The surface of the chair just painted with varnish is shiny and very beautiful.

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.

油yóuoil
光guāngshine

油 (oil) describes 光 (shine), giving a glossy, oily surface.

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
由
由yóu油yóu
Same sound today

油 is built from 氵, a water part, and 由, which supplies the sound.

Open 油 →

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 →

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