Chinese word

红灯

Pronunciation

Pinyinhóng dēng

Meaning

  • nounred light

Example

看到红灯就停下来。kàn dào hóng dēng jiù tíng xià lái

Stop when you see a red light.

Illustration for 红灯 (red light)

More examples

交警在路口抓拍闯红灯的车辆。jiāo jǐng zài lù kǒu zhuā pāi chuǎng hóng dēng de chē liàng

Traffic police photographed vehicles running a red light at the intersection.

Core concept

A bright traffic signal that closes the way and marks the pause before movement can resume.

Common phrases

  • 闯红灯chuǎng hóng dēng

    run a red light

  • 被红灯拦下bèi hóng dēng lán xià

    be stopped by a red light

  • 红灯倒计时hóng dēng dào jì shí

    red-light countdown timer

Similar words

红绿灯hóng lǜ dēng: A road device with red, yellow, and green lights that directs vehicles and pedestrians.
信号灯xìn hào dēng: A traffic signal that uses lights to direct vehicles and pedestrians to move or stop.
绿灯lǜ dēng: A green traffic signal that allows vehicles and pedestrians to move forward.
交通信号jiāo tōng xìn hào: The road signals and displays that show when vehicles and pedestrians may move or must stop.

Definition in Chinese

交通信号灯中显示红色光，指示车辆和行人必须停止通行并等待信号变更。jiāo tōng xìn hào dēng zhōng xiǎn shì hóng sè guāng zhǐ shì chē liàng hé xíng rén bì xū tíng zhǐ tōng xíng bìng děng dài xìn hào biàn gēng

Word origin

红 (hóng, "red") + 灯 (dēng, "lamp/light") combines a color with a light to name the red signal used to stop traffic.

Usage tips

  • In everyday Chinese, this term applies to the signal faced by pedestrians as well as drivers, not only to a car driver's signal.

Opposites

Related words

  • 红灯区hóng dēng qūred-light districtnoun
  • 红灯笼hóng dēng lóngred lanternnoun

Word lists with this word