灯箱 (dēng xiāng) — lightbox (illuminated sign or display box) | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A lightbox is a flat, illuminated sign or display panel — the lit advertisement boxes you see in subway stations and on storefronts. Simply 灯 (light/lamp) + 箱 (box).

noun

lightbox (illuminated sign or display box)

Measure word · 个

Examples

灯箱。
Shāng diàn mén kǒu yǒu yí gè hěn dà de dēng xiāng.
There's a very large lightbox at the entrance of the store.
灯箱。
Dì tiě zhàn lǐ dào chù dōu shì guǎng gào dēng xiāng.
There are advertising lightboxes everywhere in the subway station.
灯箱，。
Zhè ge dēng xiāng huài le, xū yào huàn yí gè xīn de.
This lightbox is broken; it needs to be replaced with a new one.

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” indicates the light inside, while “箱” is the box-shaped display.

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.

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.

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

𥫗相箱

Meaning part形符xíngfú

𥫗Written in full as竹zhúbamboo

Sound part声符shēngfú

相

相xiāng箱xiāng

Same sound today

箱 combines 竹, showing bamboo, with 相 as a sound part, to write a bamboo box or case.

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