Definitions
(noun)
light; brightness
(adjective)
bright; shining
(adverb)
only; merely
(verb)
to use up; to exhaust
(verb)
bring honor to
Etymology
Pictograph of fire on top of a person.
About
The character "光" structurally combines the element "火" representing fire with "儿" depicting a person, a form that etymologically suggests the concept of illumination originating from a flame carried or held aloft. Its primary meaning of physical light or brightness provided the basis for extended abstract meanings such as glory, honor, and radiance in a metaphorical sense. Over time, the semantic range of the character further expanded to include adjectival uses describing something as smooth, bare, or entirely depleted, demonstrating how its applications diversified while retaining a connection to its foundational idea of emission or absence.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
灯光很明亮。
太阳光很温暖。
她光着脚走路。
我们要珍惜光阴。
光靠运气是不够的。
他光荣地完成了任务。
这座城市光彩夺目。
科学家发现了新的光谱。