diàndēng: 电灯 - Electric Light, Lamp

• Keywords: diandeng, diàn dēng, 电灯, electric light in Chinese, Chinese word for lamp, light bulb in Chinese, turn on the light Chinese, HSK 1 vocabulary, Chinese for beginners, household items in Chinese
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese word 电灯 (diàndēng), meaning “electric light” or “lamp.” This guide breaks down the characters 电 (electricity) and 灯 (lamp), explains its cultural significance in modern China, and provides 10 practical example sentences for daily conversation. Perfect for HSK 1 students and beginners, this page covers how to say “turn on the light,” common mistakes to avoid, and related terms like 灯泡 (dēngpào) for “light bulb.”

• Pinyin (with tone marks): diàndēng
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 1
• Concise Definition: An electric device that produces light; an electric light or lamp.
• In a Nutshell: 电灯 (diàndēng) is a very logical and straightforward word. It's a compound noun that combines “electricity” with “lamp.” It refers to any light source powered by electricity, from the simple light bulb in your ceiling to the decorative lamp on your nightstand. It's one of the first words you'll learn when talking about everyday objects in a modern home.

• 电 (diàn): This character originally depicted lightning flashing from a cloud. It represents all things related to electricity, power, or electronics.
• 灯 (dēng): This character is composed of the radical 火 (huǒ), which means “fire,” and a phonetic component 丁 (dīng). It represents a lamp, light, or lantern—an object made to provide illumination, which historically used fire (like an oil lamp or candle).
• How they combine: By putting them together, 电 (diàn) + 灯 (dēng) literally means “electric lamp.” It perfectly describes the modern invention that replaced traditional fire-based lighting with one powered by electricity.

While “electric light” might seem like a simple utilitarian term, the 电灯 (diàndēng) holds a special place in China's modern story. Its widespread adoption is a powerful symbol of the country's rapid development and modernization over the last few decades. For many older Chinese people, especially those from rural areas, the memory of life without reliable electricity is still fresh. The arrival of the 电灯 in a village wasn't just a convenience; it was a transformative event. It represented progress, safety, the ability for children to study at night, and a connection to the modern world. In the West, the invention of the light bulb is often framed as a story of a lone inventor like Thomas Edison. In China, the story of the 电灯 is more of a collective narrative about national development. It symbolizes the country's ability to lift its population out of poverty and achieve technological self-sufficiency. Therefore, the humble 电灯 is not just an object but a marker of an improved standard of living and a testament to China's journey into modernity.

电灯 (diàndēng) is a high-frequency word used in everyday situations.

• Daily Conversation: You will hear it constantly in the home, office, or shops. The most common actions associated with it are turning it on and off. While the full term is 电灯, in casual speech, people often shorten it to just 灯 (dēng) when the context is clear.
  • Turn on the light: 开电灯 (kāi diàndēng) or, more commonly, 开灯 (kāi dēng).
  • Turn off the light: 关电灯 (guān diàndēng) or, more commonly, 关灯 (guān dēng).
• Measure Words: The most common measure word for a lamp or light fixture is 盏 (zhǎn).
  • 一盏电灯 (yī zhǎn diàndēng) - one lamp.
• Formality: The term is neutral and can be used in any context, from a casual request to a friend to a formal discussion about building infrastructure.

• Example 1:
  • 天黑了，请把电灯打开。
  • Pinyin: Tiān hēi le, qǐng bǎ diàndēng dǎkāi.
  • English: It's dark, please turn on the light.
  • Analysis: A classic and polite request. `把 (bǎ)` is used here to bring the object, 电灯, before the verb phrase `打开 (dǎkāi)`.
• Example 2:
  • 出门的时候，别忘了关电灯。
  • Pinyin: Chūmén de shíhou, bié wàng le guān diàndēng.
  • English: When you go out, don't forget to turn off the light.
  • Analysis: A common reminder to save electricity. `关 (guān)` is the verb for “to close” or “to turn off.”
• Example 3:
  • 我卧室的电灯坏了，我需要买一个新的。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ wòshì de diàndēng huài le, wǒ xūyào mǎi yī ge xīn de.
  • English: The light in my bedroom is broken, I need to buy a new one.
  • Analysis: `坏了 (huài le)` is a simple and useful way to say something is broken.
• Example 4:
  • 这盏电灯太亮了，我的眼睛不舒服。
  • Pinyin: Zhè zhǎn diàndēng tài liàng le, wǒ de yǎnjīng bù shūfu.
  • English: This lamp is too bright, my eyes are uncomfortable.
  • Analysis: Here, we see the measure word `盏 (zhǎn)`. `太…了 (tài…le)` is a common structure to mean “too…”
• Example 5:
  • 为了省电，我们应该用节能电灯。
  • Pinyin: Wèile shěng diàn, wǒmen yīnggāi yòng jiénéng diàndēng.
  • English: To save electricity, we should use energy-saving lights.
  • Analysis: This sentence shows how 电灯 can be modified by other words, like `节能 (jiénéng)`, meaning “energy-saving.”
• Example 6:
  • 突然停电了，所有的电灯都灭了。
  • Pinyin: Tūrán tíngdiàn le, suǒyǒu de diàndēng dōu miè le.
  • English: Suddenly the power went out, and all the lights went off.
  • Analysis: `停电 (tíngdiàn)` means “power outage.” `灭了 (miè le)` means “extinguished,” a vivid way to say the lights went out.
• Example 7:
  • 这间书房需要一盏更亮的电灯。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiān shūfáng xūyào yī zhǎn gèng liàng de diàndēng.
  • English: This study room needs a brighter lamp.
  • Analysis: `更 (gèng)` means “more” and is used here to make a comparison (“brighter”).
• Example 8:
  • 你能帮我换一下这个电灯的灯泡吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ néng bāng wǒ huàn yīxià zhè ge diàndēng de dēngpào ma?
  • English: Can you help me change the light bulb of this lamp?
  • Analysis: This sentence introduces `灯泡 (dēngpào)`, the specific word for “light bulb,” which is a component of a 电灯.
• Example 9:
  • 晚上七点，城市里的电灯都亮了起来。
  • Pinyin: Wǎnshàng qī diǎn, chéngshì lǐ de diàndēng dōu liàng le qǐlái.
  • English: At 7 PM, the city lights all lit up.
  • Analysis: `亮了起来 (liàng le qǐlái)` is a verb complement that indicates the lights began to be bright and the action is upward or starting.
• Example 10:
  • 爱迪生发明了电灯，改变了世界。
  • Pinyin: Àidíshēng fāmíng le diàndēng, gǎibiàn le shìjiè.
  • English: Edison invented the electric light, changing the world.
  • Analysis: A historical context sentence. `发明 (fāmíng)` is the verb “to invent.”

• 电灯 (diàndēng) vs. 灯 (dēng):
  • `电灯 (diàndēng)` specifically means electric light/lamp.
  • `灯 (dēng)` is a more general term for any lamp, including oil lamps (`油灯 yóudēng`) or lanterns (`灯笼 dēnglong`).
  • Common Situation: In modern daily conversation, when everyone knows you're talking about electric lights, people almost always shorten 电灯 to just 灯. For instance, you would say “开灯 (kāi dēng)” (turn on the light), not the slightly more clunky “开电灯 (kāi diàndēng).” Using the full term is not wrong, just less common in casual speech.
• 电灯 (diàndēng) vs. 光 (guāng):
  • This is a crucial distinction for beginners.
  • 电灯 (diàndēng) is the object itself—the lamp, the light fixture, the bulb.
  • 光 (guāng) is the illumination that the object produces—the light, the beam, the glow.
  • You turn on the 电灯 to get 光.
  • Correct: 这个电灯很亮，它的光很舒服。(Zhè ge diàndēng hěn liàng, tā de guāng hěn shūfu.) - This lamp is very bright, its light is very comfortable.
  • Incorrect: ~~请打开光。~~ (Qǐng dǎkāi guāng.) - You cannot “open the light.” You open the object that makes the light.

• 灯 (dēng) - The general, often-used-interchangeably term for “light” or “lamp.”
• 灯泡 (dēngpào) - Specifically a “light bulb.”
• 开灯 (kāi dēng) - The common verb phrase “to turn on the light.”
• 关灯 (guān dēng) - The common verb phrase “to turn off the light.”
• 台灯 (táidēng) - Desk lamp (from `台子 tái-zi`, table).
• 路灯 (lùdēng) - Streetlight (from `路 lù`, road).
• 手电筒 (shǒudiàntǒng) - Flashlight or electric torch (literally “hand electricity tube”).
• 电 (diàn) - The root character for “electricity” or “electric.”
• 光 (guāng) - The intangible concept of “light” or “illumination.”
• 照明 (zhàomíng) - A more formal term for “lighting” or “illumination” as a system or concept.