counter for electric lights
Used as a suffix to count electric lights, e.g., 一灯 (one light), 二灯 (two lights).
There are two fluorescent lights in this room.
灯 is a short, literary word for a lamp's light and is nearly interchangeable with 灯火, though 灯火 is slightly more formal and compound-like.
塔 (とう, tower) and 灯 (とう, light/lamp) are pronounced identically but refer to completely different things, so context or kanji is needed to tell them apart.
lighting; turning on a light
electric light
lighthouse · old-fashioned oil lamp stand
kerosene; paraffin; lamp oil
turning off the lights; lights-out
street light; streetlamp
light; lamplight
revolving lantern · life flashing before one's eyes; ever-changing scene
garden lantern; hanging lantern
Standard modern kanji for light/lamp.
Out-dated kanji form; still seen in older texts or proper nouns.
The kanji 灯 is a simplified form of 燈, which combines 火 (fire) and 登 (ascend), suggesting a flame rising. The reading とう is the on'yomi.
searchlight
votive light; light offered to a deity or Buddha
nightlight; all-night lamp
lighthouse keeper
slide (for projection) · magic lantern
fluorescent lamp; fluorescent light · slow person; someone slow on the uptake
Buddhist lantern festival
full light (setting)
headlight
outdoor light; outside light
sky lantern
votive lantern
solitary light; lone lamp
votive light; offering lamp
tail light; rear light