镁光灯 (měi guāng dēng) — magnesium lamp (a bright flash lamp, historically used in photography)

Definition

Historical term for the early photographic flash lamp, which burned magnesium powder to produce a brief, intense burst of light. Largely obsolete today, replaced by electronic flash (闪光灯).

noun
magnesium lamp (a bright flash lamp, historically used in photography)
Measure word · 盏

Examples

  • 镁光灯。
    Lǎo shè yǐng shī yòng měi guāng dēng pāi le hěn duō jīng diǎn zhào piàn.
    The old photographer used a magnesium lamp to take many classic photos.
  • 镁光灯。
    Zhè zhǒng měi guāng dēng xiàn zài yǐ jīng hěn shǎo jiàn le.
    This kind of magnesium lamp is rarely seen nowadays.
  • 镁光灯。
    Bó wù guǎn lǐ hái chén liè zhe dāng nián de měi guāng dēng.
    The museum still displays the magnesium lamps from those years.

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.

镁光magnesium light
镁měimagnesium光guānglight
偏正Modifier + head
灯dēnglamp

镁 (magnesium) and 光 (light) with 灯 (lamp) make a magnesium light 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 鎂; 镁 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
金金jīnmetal
Sound part声符shēngfú
美
美měi鎂měi
Same sound today

The traditional form 鎂 puts 金 (metal) beside 美, which gives the sound; the simplified 镁 is a later shorthand.

Open 镁 →

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 →

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 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.