Back to dictionary
JLPT N29画 · 9 strokesradical 火grade 4freq #1200

light, lamp, fire

On'yomi (音読み)

  • トウ
  • チン

Kun'yomi (訓読み)

  • とも.す
  • とも.る

Mnemonic

A fire (火) lights up the night in a lamp (丁), illuminating the shadows and guiding lost travelers home.

About this kanji

The kanji 「灯」 primarily means light, lamp, or fire and is commonly used in Japanese to refer to light sources. It can function as both a noun and a verb; as a noun, it refers to an actual lamp or source of light. Some common compounds include 灯油 (とうゆ), which means kerosene, used as fuel for lamps; 蛍光灯 (けいこうとう), meaning fluorescent lamp; and 灯台 (とうだい), which translates to lighthouse. A notable usage is the verb 「ともす」, meaning to light or turn on a lamp. When learning this kanji, remember that it can imply both illumination and the source of light.

Built from

Example sentences

  • 部屋の灯を消してください。

    Please turn off the room light.

Meanings across languages

English
light, lamp, fire
Tiếng Việt
ánh sáng, đèn, lửa
日本語
光, 灯, 灯火
한국어
中文
id
cahaya
th
แสงสว่าง
es
luz
fr
lumière
de
Licht
pt
luz

Common compounds

  • 灯油とうゆkerosene
  • 蛍光灯けいこうとうfluorescent lamp
  • 灯台とうだいlighthouse
  • 提灯ちょうちんpaper lantern

Want to actually learn this kanji?

The dictionary is one view. The Kanji 360 app wraps every character with mnemonic images, audio readings, stroke-order animation, story context, and SRS scheduling — free to start on iPhone, iPad, and Android.