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灯台 (とうだい) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

灯とう台だい

と

う

だ

い

Common wordJLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

noun

lighthouse

A tower or building with a bright light to guide ships at sea.

岬みさきの先さきに白しろい灯とう台だいが立たっている。
A white lighthouse stands at the tip of the cape.

2

noun

old-fashioned oil lamp stand

Historical interior light fixture: a wooden pole with an oil dish and wick on top. Not a modern lamp.

時じ代だい劇げきのセットに古ふるい灯とう台だいが置おかれていた。

An old-fashioned oil lamp stand was placed on the period-drama set.

Written forms

灯とう台だいUsage86%
Standard modern spelling.
燈とう台だいUsage9%
out-dated kanji form
Old-form kanji spelling; 燈 is the kyūjitai of 灯.
とうだいUsage3%
トウダイUsage2%

Kanji

灯lamp, a light, light
台pedestal, a stand, counter for machines and vehicles
燈lamp, light, counter for lights

Etymology

Compound of 灯 (tō, 'light') + 台 (dai, 'stand, platform'). The 'lighthouse' sense is a modern extension; the older sense referred to an indoor lamp stand.