How to Write 灯 (dēng) — Meaning “Lamp / Light”

Imagine a lamp (灯) needs a flame from fire (火) to glow, and the right part 丁 looks like a small stand holding the lamp. This visual of fire plus a stand helps recall the meaning and shape.

When writing the left radical 火, first write the dot, then the left-falling stroke, then the right-falling stroke – do not combine them. The right part 丁 must be written with a horizontal stroke followed by a vertical hook; make sure the hook points left. Common mistake: making the 火 radical too wide, but it should narrow to fit next to 丁.

火 means fire by itself (4 strokes), while 灯 adds the right side 丁 to mean lamp (6 strokes). 灭 means 'to extinguish' and is written with a horizontal line across the top of 火. Visually, 灯 has a flat top from 丁, whereas 灭 looks like a cap over fire.

灯 is common in words like 电灯 (electric light), 开灯 (turn on the light), and 红绿灯 (traffic light). In Chinese culture, lanterns (灯) are important during the Lantern Festival, symbolizing brightness, reunion, and good fortune.

Common words containing 灯 include: 电灯 (diàn dēng) — electric light; 开灯 (kāi dēng) — to turn on the light; 红绿灯 (hóng lǜ dēng) — traffic light.