Breakdown:

吊。。to suspend or hang up [can also be applied to hang a person...wonder if it also applies to the game hangman...would that be 吊人 or  吊男 ? ].Fourth tone seems very appropriate for this character.

灯...lamp or light

The photo is quite different from what I usually think of when I think of a chandelier,but I like different,especially Chinese version of different.Looks really cool.Is this a typical example of a Chinese chandelier?

btw Calkins,your example sentence made me laugh.Sounds like some Chinese advertising.I love their appreciation of the aesthetic.

Hi bababardwan!  I also loved the example sentence when I found it.  I think my translation is fairly accurate, but it's interesting that a chandelier could be so beautiful that it could have such an "enriching impact on someone's life." 

I'm not sure where this photo was taken, but I don't think it was China.  When I first saw the photo, I thought they were lanterns that had to do with next week's Lantern Festival.  Though I think there are some chandeliers in there, most of them look like pendant fixtures.  I'd be interested to know if 吊灯 is use more often for "chandelier" or "pendant".  My guess is "pendant", simply because they are used more often, but wouldn't mind hearing from a Chinese person...or having this word changyefied!

When I first saw the photo, I thought they were lanterns that had to do with next week's Lantern Festival.

I agree with you Brent! I thought it is灯笼 when i saw the picture.

Regarding to "chandelier" and "pendant", I really don't have any idea.

About “吊灯”，the image show up looks like

Calkins,

Do you remember your picture about 头饰 (here) ?

I think you can re-use 饰 and form 灯饰 (decorative lantern, decorative lamp or any decoration with light).

灯饰 may cover either your picture with the lanterns and a chandelier.

Both a chandeliear and pendant lamp are "吊灯" in Chinese. There is also a descriptive word "枝形吊灯" for a chandeliear, but I don't think it's frequently used. Native speakers would just say "吊灯" in conversation.

In passing, "a crane" (not a bird, but a machine) is "吊车", and "hang oneself" is "吊死" in Mandarin. There is no exact Chinese translation for "a hangman". Maybe it's 死刑执行官 or something like that.

Incidentally, the PRC basically adopts execution by shooting. Recently, "injection" is sometimes used too.

Speaking of ceiling light / hanging lamp (吊灯), I checked my dictionary and saw the strange metaphor 云幂灯 (the lamp of the cloud ceiling).

This word sounds quite nice but is it really possible to use 云幂灯 in a normal conversation ?

Also I guess 云幂灯 is only used for white ceiling with some height.

China's Lantern Festival, and an unfortunate ending (Pictures here)

Those photos are amazing kimiik!  Great find, thanks for sharing.

kimiik ,

Thanks for posting the link to those awesome photos.Looks like an exciting time to visit China.