耀 yào — brilliant; glorious
中午的阳光十分耀眼。Zhōng wǔ de yáng guāng shí fēn yào yǎn.The noon sunlight is very dazzling.
Common words: 耀眼 (yào yǎn)、照耀 (zhào yào)、炫耀 (xuàn yào)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "brilliant"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "brilliant", including 耀 (yào), 煌 (huáng). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms, common words…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "brilliant" covers 2 different Chinese characters — 耀 (yào), 煌 (huáng) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 2 characters do not share a sound — their readings span yào, huáng — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 耀 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 耀 yàobrilliant; gloriousUseful words: 耀眼, 照耀
- 煌 huángbrilliantUseful words: 辉煌, 金碧辉煌
Common words for these 2 "brilliant" characters
Anchor each of these 2 characters in a word you can picture — start with 耀 (yào) — so "brilliant" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
耀眼yào yǎnto dazzle; dazzling照耀zhào yàoto shine; to illuminate炫耀xuàn yàodazzling; to show off; to flaunt辉煌huī huángsplendid; glorious金碧辉煌jīn bì huī huánggold and jade in glorious splendor (idiom); fig. a dazzling sight (e.g. royal palace)金碧荧煌jīn bì yíng huángsplendid in green and gold (idiom); looking radiant
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 2 ways to say "brilliant".
煌 huáng — brilliant
节日的夜晚，城市的灯火十分辉煌。Jié rì de yè wǎn, chéng shì de dēng huǒ shí fēn huī huáng.On a festival night, the city lights are brilliant.
Common words: 辉煌 (huī huáng)、金碧辉煌 (jīn bì huī huáng)、金碧荧煌 (jīn bì yíng huáng)
All 2 characters
Open 耀、煌 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.