Chinese word

关灯

Pronunciation

Pinyinguān dēng

Meaning

  • verbturn off the lights

Example

会议结束后请关灯。huì yì jié shù hòu qǐng guān dēng

Please turn off the lights after the meeting ends.

Illustration for 关灯 (turn off the lights)

More examples

离开办公室前，他总是先关灯。lí kāi bàn gōng shì qián tā zǒng shì xiān guān dēng

Before leaving the office, he always turns off the lights first.

Core concept

A bright lamp is treated as something that can be closed, so its light stops and darkness begins.

Common phrases

  • 别忘了关灯bié wàng le guān dēng

    don't forget to turn off the lights

  • 上床前记得关灯shàng chuáng qián jì de guān dēng

    remember to turn off the lights before going to bed

Similar words

关掉guān diào: Switch off a light or lights with a switch or button in everyday speech.
熄灯xī dēng: Formally turn off lights in a public place or as part of a ceremony.

Definition in Chinese

使灯不再发亮，通常用于表示关闭灯的动作。shǐ dēng bú zài fā liàng tōng cháng yòng yú biǎo shì guān bì dēng de dòng zuò

Word origin

关 (guān, "shut") + 灯 (dēng, "lamp") presents the lamp as the thing being shut, creating a compact expression for ending its light.

Usage tips

  • The action can concern one lamp or several lights, while Chinese leaves the number to context instead of changing the noun between singular and plural.

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word