电灯 (diàn dēng) — electric light, electric lamp | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

electric lightelectric lamp

Measure word · 盏

Examples

电灯。
Qǐng bǎ diàn dēng dǎ kāi.
Please turn on the electric light.
电灯。
Fáng jiān lǐ yǒu yì zhǎn diàn dēng.
There is an electric lamp in the room.
电灯。
Wǒ zuó tiān mǎi le yí gè xīn diàn dēng.
I bought a new electric light yesterday.

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.

电diànelectricity

'电' means electricity, and '灯' means lamp, together giving an electric lamp.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 電; 电 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

雨雨yǔrain

Sound part声符shēngfú

申

申shēn電diàn

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For the traditional form 電, 雨 (rain) sits with 申, read shēn and meaning lightning.

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.

Appears in

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