‘路灯’ (lù dēng) literally means ‘road light’ — combining 路 (lù), meaning ‘road’ or ‘street’, and 灯 (dēng), meaning ‘lamp’ or ‘light’. It refers specifically to fixed outdoor lights mounted along streets, sidewalks, or highways to illuminate public areas at night. These are typically powered by electricity and installed in regular intervals for safety and visibility.

Unlike indoor lamps (台灯) or vehicle headlights (车灯), 路灯 emphasizes public infrastructure and urban functionality. You’ll commonly see them in cityscapes, residential neighborhoods, parks, and along rural roads — often discussed in contexts of city planning, energy conservation, or nighttime navigation. The word is neutral in register, used in both spoken and written Chinese, and rarely appears in idiomatic expressions; it’s a straightforward compound noun denoting a concrete, everyday object.