灯泡

燈泡

dēngpào

noun HSK 7 #8,668

Measure Word

一个灯泡 gè

Meanings

1 light bulb
2 third wheel (slang); unwanted extra person on a date

Characters

Light + bubble — the bubble-shaped glass of a light bulb.

Examples

灯泡坏了，需要换一个新的。

Dēngpào huài le, xūyào huàn yī gè xīn de.

The light bulb is broken; we need to replace it with a new one.

别当灯泡了，让人家两个人待一会儿。

Bié dāng dēngpào le, ràng rénjiā liǎng gè rén dāi yīhuìr.

Stop being a third wheel and let the two of them have some time alone.

他买了几个节能灯泡。

Tā mǎi le jǐ gè jiénéng dēngpào.

He bought a few energy-saving light bulbs.

Tips

usage

当灯泡 (dāng dēngpào, 'to be a light bulb') is widely used slang meaning 'to be a third wheel' — the awkward extra person when a couple wants to be alone. Similar to English 'third wheel' or 'gooseberry.'

Stroke Order

灯 dēng

泡 pào