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, meaning light, originates from a compositional idea that combines elements suggestive of fire and a human figure, conveying the ancient concept of illumination emanating from a flame carried or worn. Its structural form, while stylistically refined over long periods, maintains this foundational relationship between the components for fire and person. Initially denoting physical light from sources like fire or the sun, the semantic application of 光 gradually extended to abstract qualities such as brilliance, glory, and honor, while also developing related senses including bareness, mere existence, or completeness. This progression from a concrete visual phenomenon to a range of metaphorical and adverbial uses illustrates a natural linguistic expansion rooted in its core etymological image.
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。