(けいこう)

けいこう
noun
fluorescence; fluorescent
1. fluorescence; fluorescent light
The emission of light by a substance that has absorbed light or radiation. In everyday use, most commonly refers to fluorescent lighting or fluorescent colors.
蛍光(けいこう)(とう)交換(こうかん)する。
To replace the fluorescent light.
蛍光(けいこう)ペンで大事(だいじ)なところに(せん)()く。
To highlight important parts with a highlighter pen.
(よる)安全(あんぜん)のために、蛍光(けいこう)(いろ)のベストを()(はし)ることにしている。
For safety at night, I make it a point to wear a fluorescent-colored vest when running.

Refers to fluorescence — the property of emitting bright light. Composed of (けい) (firefly) + (こう) (light), literally "firefly light," because the glow resembles that of a firefly. Most commonly encountered in compounds related to fluorescent lighting and colors.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 蛍光(けいこう)(とう): fluorescent light tube
  • 蛍光(けいこう)ペン: highlighter pen
  • 蛍光(けいこう)(いろ): fluorescent color
  • 蛍光(けいこう)塗料(とりょう): fluorescent paint
  • 蛍光(けいこう)物質(ぶっしつ): fluorescent substance

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 発光(はっこう): luminescence — the general phenomenon of emitting light
  • LED: LED — increasingly replacing 蛍光(けいこう)(とう) in Japanese households

NOTE:
While traditional 蛍光(けいこう)(とう) (fluorescent tubes) are being phased out in favor of LED lighting in Japan, the word 蛍光(けいこう) remains widely used, especially in 蛍光(けいこう)ペン (highlighter) and 蛍光(けいこう)(いろ) (neon/fluorescent colors).