光
guāng
The English word "light" is translated into Chinese as 光 (guāng). Wiktionary also lists 光亮 (guāngliàng).
Meaning: visible light, brightness (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 光 | guāng |
| 光亮 | guāngliàng |
光 is used as a mass noun to refer to light in a general or scientific sense. Depending on the context, particularly in poetic or religious settings, it can also mean "glory".
Which one should you use?
光 refers to light as a physical phenomenon. In contrast, 光亮 is used to emphasize brightness or the specific quality of being bright.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Cantonese, the word 燈 is used to mean lamp or light.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
guāng
Did you know?
- While 光 describes the physical phenomenon of light, it is also used as a suffix to mean 'only' or 'nothing but', such as in the phrase 光說不做 ('only talk and not do').
- The character 光 was originally an ideogram depicting a person kneeling under a fire, suggesting the light shines upon them.
- When used to describe food or money, 光 indicates that something has been completely finished or spent.
Examples in context
- 這裏沒有光。There's no light.This sentence is useful for expressing the absence of 光.Tatoeba #12278560 by FishlandicFishy, translation #12277025 by maaster
- 螢幕閃著綠色的光。The screen is giving off green light.This sentence shows how a screen can emit 光.Tatoeba #3763620 by cienias, translation #3962669 by JSakuragi
- 神说：“要有光。”God said, "Let there be light!"This sentence illustrates the use of 光 in a religious context.Tatoeba #13899523 by jan_OkulaJu, translation #13899515 by rul
- 夜空中星星很亮。The stars in the night sky are very bright.
- 请把灯打亮一点。Please make the light a bit brighter.
- 台灯亮着，你可以读书。The desk lamp is on, you can read.
- 这个房间太暗了，我们需要更多的光亮。This room is too dim, we need more light.
- 今晚的街道很光亮，城市的夜景真美。The streets are well-lit tonight, the city's night view is truly beautiful.
- 35 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Zhiqiang and Yuting are discussing a science experiment.
- 志强 Zhiqiang光的速度非常快。guāng de sùdù fēicháng kuài.The speed of light is very fast.
- 雨婷 Yuting是的，它是宇宙中最快的。shì de, tā shì yǔzhòu zhōng zuì kuài de.Yes, it is the fastest in the universe.
- 志强 Zhiqiang我們可以用光來傳輸數據。wǒmen kěyǐ yòng guāng lái chuánshū shùjù.We can use light to transmit data.
- 雨婷 Yuting這就是光纖的工作原理。zhè jiùshì guāngxiān de gōngzuò yuánlǐ.That is how optical fibers work.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “light” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 光, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
