光こう明みょう

also: こうめい

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Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

bright light; radiance

Refers to a literal, shining light, often with a positive or hopeful connotation.

トンネルを抜ぬけると、前ぜん方ぽうに光こう明みょうが見みえた。
After exiting the tunnel, a bright light was visible ahead.

2

hope; bright future; glimmer of hope

Metaphorical use: a hopeful prospect or a sign of improvement in a difficult situation. Often used in expressions like 光明を見出す (find a ray of hope).

この研けん究きゅうが難なん病びょう治ち療りょうの光こう明みょうとなるかもしれない。
This research may become a ray of hope for treating the intractable disease.
長ながい不ふ況きょうの後あと、ようやく景けい気き回かい復ふくの光こう明みょうが見みえてきた。
After a long recession, a glimmer of hope for economic recovery has finally appeared.

3

Buddhist light of wisdom and compassion

Buddhist term for the spiritual light emanating from a buddha or bodhisattva, symbolizing their enlightened wisdom and compassion.

仏ぶつ像ぞうの後うしろに描えがかれた光こう明みょうは、仏ほとけの智ち慧えを表あらわしている。
The halo of light depicted behind the Buddha statue represents the Buddha's wisdom.

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Usage patterns

〈事こと〉〉に光明こうみょうを見出みいだすto find a ray of hope in (something)
困こん難なんな状じょう況きょうの中なかに光こう明みょうを見出みいだした。
I found a glimmer of hope in the difficult situation.
光こう明みょうが見みえてくるa ray of hope starts to appear
長ながいトンネルの先さきに光こう明みょうが見みえてきた。
A glimmer of hope began to appear at the end of the long tunnel.
一ひと筋すじの光こう明みょうa single ray of hope/light
彼かれの言こと葉ばは一ひと筋すじの光こう明みょうだった。
His words were a single ray of hope.

Kanji

光ray, light
明bright, light

Related words

希き望ぼうN3sense 2
希望 is the everyday word for 'hope' or 'wish', while 光明 is a more literary term picturing hope as a ray of light breaking through darkness.
光ひかりN4sense 1
光 is the plain, common word for physical light, whereas 光明 is a literary term that often adds a nuance of hope or spiritual radiance.

Opposites

絶ぜつ望ぼうN2sense 2
絶望 means despair or hopelessness, the direct opposite of the hopeful glimmer described by 光明.
暗くら闇やみN1sense 1
暗闇 means darkness, the literal opposite of the bright light meant by 光明.
暗あん黒こく
光明 means bright light or hope and serves as the literary opposite of 暗黒, which denotes darkness or despair.

Don't confuse with

高こう名めいN1
高名 (こうめい) means 'renowned' or 'famous name', a completely different word that happens to share the alternate reading こうめい with 光明.
公こう明めいN1
光明 (same reading) means 'light' or 'ray of hope', while 公明 means fairness and openness—easy to mix up by sound alone.
功こう名みょう
光明 (same reading as 功名) means bright light or hope, and is unrelated in meaning to 功名's sense of a glorious achievement.

Written forms

光明Usage100%
- こうみょう
  Standard kanji spelling. The reading こうみょう is the most common.
- こうめい
  Alternate reading, less common and somewhat literary.
こうめい

Etymology

From Middle Chinese 光明 (kwang mjæng). The kanji 光 means 'light' and 明 means 'bright', together conveying 'bright light'. The Buddhist sense is a direct translation of the Sanskrit term prabhā.