懐中電灯 Flashlight

Meaning

Primary

Flashlight

Alternative

Electric Torch

Word Type

noun

Explanation

懐 means "nostalgia," but it can also mean "bosom pocket," right? Well, in your bosom pocket's middle, you've got a 電灯 (electric light). What kind of 電灯 is small enough to keep in the middle of your bosom pocket? A flashlight.

Reading

かいちゅうでんとう

Explanation

This is a jukugo word that uses the on'yomi readings of the kanji. You haven't learned 懐's on'yomi, so here's a mnemonic to help you remember it:

You shine your flashlight into a kayak (かい) because you dropped something in there while you were kayaking. You're pretty sure it's somewhere deep in the kayak's interior, so you've crawled in headfirst with your flashlight to check. Try not to get stuck.

Context

Common Word Combinations

• 懐中電灯が〜

  懐中電灯がある

  to have a flashlight, there is a flashlight

  懐中電灯がない

  to have no flashlight, there is no flashlight

  懐中電灯がつく

  a flashlight turns on

• 懐中電灯を〜

  懐中電灯をつける

  to turn on a flashlight

  懐中電灯を探す

  to look for a flashlight

  懐中電灯を買う

  to buy a flashlight

Context Sentences

懐中電灯をつけて、足元を照らした。

I turned on the flashlight and lit up the area around my feet.

懐中電灯を顔に当てると、なぜかホラーが始まる。

Shine a flashlight on your face, and for some reason you're in a horror movie now.

停電のときだけ、懐中電灯の存在を思い出すんだよね。

I only remember my flashlight exists during a blackout.

非常用の懐中電灯の電池が切れていないか、毎月チェックしています。

I check every month to make sure the batteries in my emergency flashlight aren't dead.

Kanji Composition

1. 懐

   なつ Nostalgia
2. 中

   ちゅう Middle
3. 電

   でん Electricity
4. 灯

   とう Lamp