长明灯

長明燈
chángmíngdēng
noun

Measure Word

Meanings

  1. 1 altar lamp burning day and night
  2. 2 ever-burning lamp (in temples or before tombs)
  3. 3 perpetual lamp

Examples

Fótáng lǐ de chángmíngdēng rìyè bù xī.
The altar lamp in the Buddhist hall never goes out, day or night.
Shǒumùrén měitiān tiān yóu, ràng chángmíngdēng jìxù ránshāo.
The tomb keeper adds oil daily so that the perpetual lamp keeps burning.

Tips

culture
Found in Buddhist and Daoist temples and at imperial tombs (especially the Ming tombs). The lamp symbolizes the unbroken transmission of light/wisdom and is also said to keep watch over the dead.

Stroke Order

cháng
míng
dēng