‘灯塔岛’ (dēng tǎ dǎo) literally means 'lighthouse island' — a compound noun formed by combining 灯 (dēng, 'lamp' or 'light'), 塔 (tǎ, 'tower'), and 岛 (dǎo, 'island'). It refers to an island that hosts or is named after a lighthouse, often serving as a navigational landmark for ships. While not a standard administrative geographic term, it appears in place names, travel writing, maritime contexts, and descriptive storytelling.

This term evokes imagery of coastal isolation, maritime history, and natural beauty — frequently used in tourism promotion, literature, or news about coastal conservation. Unlike generic terms like 小岛 (xiǎo dǎo, 'small island'), 灯塔岛 carries a functional and symbolic connotation: the island’s identity is tied to its lighthouse, suggesting guidance, safety, or solitude. It is rarely used metaphorically and almost always denotes a real or named location.