HSK 3, n, 6 strokes, radical 火, rank #1650, Medium
灯
dēng
light
HSK 3, n, 6 strokes, radical 火, rank #1650, Medium
灯
dēng
lantern
HSK 3, n, 6 strokes, radical 火, rank #1650, Medium
灯
dēng
>盏[zhǎn]
HSK 3, n, 6 strokes, radical 火, rank #1650, Medium
dēng(deng1) T1
1lamp
2light
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
灯(燈)dēng(deng1)
The character 灯 (dēng) refers to a light source, such as a lamp or lantern. It is commonly used in various contexts, including home lighting and traditional celebrations where lanterns are lit. The character conveys the idea of illumination and is fundamental in discussing anything related to light.
Strokes6Radical火Frequency#1650DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, lanterns (灯笼) are traditionally used during festivals such as the Lantern Festival, symbolizing reunion and the arrival of spring. The use of light during celebrations underscores the importance of family and togetherness.
Memory Tip
Imagine a glowing lamp (灯) illuminating a dark room. The top part of the character resembles a flame, suggesting brightness, while the bottom part is like a base supporting the light. Picture the light (dēng) creating a warm atmosphere in your home.
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 灯
Quick Contrast
灯 (dēng) vs 照明 (zhàomíng) — use 灯 for specific light sources like lamps, while 照明 refers to the act of lighting or illumination in a broader sense.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a glowing lamp (灯) illuminating a dark room. The top part of the character resembles a flame, suggesting brightness, while the bottom part is like a base supporting the light. Picture the light (dēng) creating a warm atmosphere in your home.
Usage Notes
Be mindful of the tone when pronouncing dēng; it is pronounced with a high level tone. Common collocations include '台灯' (tái dēng, table lamp) and '灯光' (dēng guāng, light). A common mistake is confusing it with '灯笼' (dēng lóng, lantern), which specifically refers to decorative lanterns.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 3 word, 灯 (dēng) connects with other nouns related to everyday objects, such as 家 (jiā, home) and 桌子 (zhuōzi, table). Students should focus on using it in sentences about their living space and describing lighting conditions.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, lanterns (灯笼) are traditionally used during festivals such as the Lantern Festival, symbolizing reunion and the arrival of spring. The use of light during celebrations underscores the importance of family and togetherness.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 灯 with 灯笼, mistakenly using 灯 when they mean decorative lanterns. For example, saying '我买了一个灯' (wǒ mǎile yīgè dēng) instead of '我买了一个灯笼' (wǒ mǎile yīgè dēng lóng) when referring to a lantern.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 灯
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 灯 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 灯 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Grammar Patterns of 灯
灯 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
The two rooms were relatively small and discreetly lit.
Cultural Notes for 灯
💡Did you know?
In Chinese culture, lanterns (灯笼) are often used during festivals, such as the Lantern Festival, to symbolize hope and the arrival of spring. They are typically red, which symbolizes good luck and happiness.
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, lanterns (灯笼) are traditionally used during festivals such as the Lantern Festival, symbolizing reunion and the arrival of spring. The use of light during celebrations underscores the importance of family and togetherness.
Word Family of 灯
Words Containing This Character20
灯dēnglamp燈
灯光dēngguānglight燈光
红灯hóngdēngred light紅燈
灯泡dēngpàolight bulb燈泡
灯塔lighthouse燈塔
路灯lùdēngstreet lamp路燈
绿灯lǜdēnggreen light綠燈
闪光灯flash bulb (photography)閃光燈
灯笼dēnglonglantern燈籠
台灯táidēngdesk lamp檯燈
熄灯lights out熄燈
红绿灯traffic light紅綠燈
信号灯signal light信號燈
聚光灯spotlight聚光燈
电灯diàndēngelectric light電燈
灯火lights燈火
吊灯hanging lamp吊燈
幻灯片filmstrip幻燈片
电灯泡light bulb電燈泡
尾灯tail light (on vehicle)尾燈
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 灯 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 灯
Some common phrases include '开灯' (kāi dēng), meaning 'turn on the light', and '关灯' (guān dēng), meaning 'turn off the light'. These phrases are useful for everyday situations when discussing lighting.
灯 (dēng) refers specifically to a physical object that emits light, like a lamp or lantern. In contrast, 光 (guāng) means 'light' in a more abstract sense, referring to the illumination itself rather than the source. Understanding this distinction can help you use both words correctly in context.
灯 (dēng) means 'lamp', 'light', or 'lantern' in Chinese. It is commonly used to refer to various types of lighting fixtures that illuminate spaces. In everyday conversation, you might hear it in phrases related to lighting or when discussing home decor.
You can use 灯 (dēng) in sentences like '这个房间需要一个灯' (Zhè ge fángjiān xūyào yīgè dēng), which means 'This room needs a lamp.' It's often combined with other words to specify the type of light or its location, such as '路灯' (lù dēng) for 'streetlight'.
灯 refers specifically to a lamp or light source, while 光 means light in a more general sense, including natural light.
No, 灯 specifically refers to artificial light sources like lamps and lanterns, not natural light.
The correct measure word is 盏 (zhǎn), so you would say 一盏灯 (yī zhǎn dēng) for one lamp.
