光 guāng light
light; ray
How to remember 光: ⺌ small + 兀 pedestal = light. On the small stone pedestal in the garden, grandma places a lantern so the grandchildren can find their way by its light.
Component breakdown
光 = ⺌ small + 兀 pedestal
- ⺌ small
- 兀 pedestal
On the small stone pedestal in the garden, grandma places a lantern so the grandchildren can find their way by its light.
How it came to be
A kneeling figure, fire burning on the head. Somebody holds a torch up so others can see. The person is part of the light, so the character is not just the fire block.
How it is used
- Light/ray, plus 'only/merely' and 'used up' - 阳光 (yángguāng) sunshine, 光线 (guāngxiàn) light rays, 目光 (mùguāng) gaze.
- Adverb 'only': 光说不做 (guāng shuō bú zuò) all talk, no action; 别光看手机 don't just stare at your phone.
- Resultative 'clean gone': 吃光了 (chī guāng le) all eaten up, 卖光 sold out.
Characters built with 光
Words with 光
- 阳光yángguāngsunshineHSK 4
- 不光bùguāngnot the only oneHSK 4
- 光临guānglínto honor with one's presenceHSK 5
- 光明guāngmínglightHSK 5
- 光线guāngxiànlight rayHSK 5
- 灯光dēngguānglightingHSK 5
- 目光mùguānggazeHSK 5
- 发光fāguāngto emit lightHSK 6
- 时光shíguāngtimeHSK 6
- 月光yuèguāngmoonlightHSK 6
- 眼光yǎnguānggazeHSK 6
- 观光guānguāngto tourHSK 6
- 风光fēngguāngsceneHSK 6
- 争光zhēngguāngto win an honorHSK 7
- 光彩guāngcǎilusterHSK 7
- 光环guānghuánring of lightHSK 7
- 光盘guāngpáncompact disc (CD)HSK 7
- 光顾guānggùto visit (as a customer)HSK 7
- 发扬光大fāyáng-guāngdàto develop and promoteHSK 7
- 激光jīguānglaserHSK 7
- 耳光ěrguānga slap on the faceHSK 7
- 光明磊落guāngmíng-lěiluòopen and candid (idiom)HSK 8
- 光泽guāngzélusterHSK 8
- 光滑guānghuáglossyHSK 8
- 光缆guānglǎnoptical cableHSK 8
- 光芒guāngmángrays of lightHSK 8
- 光荣guāngrónghonor and gloryHSK 8
- 光辉guānghuīradianceHSK 8
- 容光焕发róngguāng-huànfāface glowing (idiom)HSK 8
- 曙光shǔguāngthe first light of dawnHSK 9
- 曝光bàoguāngto expose (photography)HSK 9
- 沾光zhānguāngto bask in the lightHSK 9
- 荧光yíngguāngfluorescenceHSK 9
Example sentences
- 今晚没什么月光。 Jīnwǎn méi shénme yuèguāng.There's no moonlight tonight.
- 阳光照在树叶上。 Yángguāng zhào zài shùyè shàng.The sun is shining on the tree leaves.
- 欢迎光临！ huānyíngguānglín!Welcome!