can·dle

The word candle comes from Middle English candel, from Old English and from Anglo-Norman candele, both from Latin candēla, from candēre, to shine.

A candle is an ignitable wick embedded in wax, or another flammable solid substance such as tallow [动物脂], that provides light, and in some cases, a fragrance. A candle can also provide heat or a method of keeping time.

A person who makes candles is traditionally known as a chandler. Various devices have been invented to hold candles, from simple tabletop candlesticks, also known as candle holders, to elaborate candelabra and chandeliers [枝形吊灯]. A bra is a piece of underwear that a woman wears to support her breasts.

中石化天价吊灯_百度百科 | 广东烟草局拟搬离豪华办公楼：堪比五星酒店，巡视组责令整改_澎湃新闻

Chandler Muriel Bing is one of the six main characters on Friends. He was portrayed by Matthew Perry. He is notable for his sarcastic and witty sense of humor. Throughout most of the series, Chandler is an executive specialized in statistical analysis and data reconfiguration, occupying high-grade positions such as Processing Manager and head of the office. Though he has a high pay, he frequently complains about his dislike of his job, even deciding to quit in Season 9.

Season Four — "The One With the Embryos". It was in this classic episode that the name Chanandler Bong was first revealed when Ross fashions a trivia game (complete with the lightning round!) to try to decide who knows their friends better: Chandler and Joey or Monica and Rachel. The game is one of the best Friends sequences in all 10 seasons, from the TV Guide being delivered to Ms. Chanandler Bong to the phenomena that scares the bijesus out of [used as a mild oath] Chandler: Michael Flatley, Lord of the Dance. ("His legs flail [乱摆] about as if independent from his body!") And, the mystery of what exactly Chandler's job is begins. Spoiler [剧透]: he's not a transponster. (THAT'S NOT EVEN A WORD!)

 

右图为费玉清，不是费正清。 

For a candle to burn, a heat source (commonly a naked flame from a match or lighter) is used to light the candle's wick, which melts and vaporizes a small amount of fuel (the wax). Once vaporized, the fuel combines with oxygen in the atmosphere to ignite and form a constant flame. This flame provides sufficient heat to keep the candle burning via a self-sustaining chain of events: the heat of the flame melts the top of the mass of solid fuel; the liquefied fuel then moves upward through the wick via capillary action; the liquefied fuel finally vaporizes to burn within the candle's flame.

As the fuel (wax) is melted and burned, the candle becomes shorter. Portions of the wick that are not emitting vaporized fuel are consumed in the flame. The incineration of the wick limits the length of the exposed portion of the wick, thus maintaining a constant burning temperature and rate of fuel consumption. Some wicks require regular trimming with scissors (or a specialized wick trimmer), usually to about one-quarter inch (~0.7 cm), to promote slower, steady burning, and also to prevent smoking. Special candle-scissors called "snuffers" were produced for this purpose in the 20th century and were often combined with an extinguisher. In modern candles, the wick is constructed so that it curves over as it burns. This ensures that the end of the wick gets oxygen and is then consumed by fire—a self-trimming wick.

The earliest surviving candles originated in Han China around 200 BC. These early Chinese candles were made from whale fat. 这与以下说法不矛盾(可能就一两根鲸油烛）：

西汉初年，南越王向汉高祖刘邦敬献了石蜜5斛、蜜烛200枚等，汉高祖大喜。研究表明，其中的蜜烛便是我们现代蜡烛的雏形，在当时还是属于进贡呢。韩愈在《寒食》中写道“日暮汉宫传蜡烛，轻烟散入五侯家”，寒食节禁火的时候，帝王要给侯爵以上的官员、上品官员赏赐蜡烛，这说明蜡烛那会儿极为稀少，属于珍品。[趣历史]《西京杂记》是古代历史笔记小说集。汉代刘歆著，东晋葛洪辑抄。其中的“西京”指的是西汉的首都长安。

古代不能分解蜂蜡中的蜜和蜡，故称蜜烛。宋以后人们在腊树上刮白膜制作蜡烛，现在用石蜡。蜡是动物、植物或矿物所产生的油质。不透明的琥珀称为密蜡。

《夜雨寄北》(唐)李商隐 君问归期未有期，巴山夜雨涨秋池。何当共剪西窗烛，却话巴山夜雨时。Special candle-scissors called "snuffers" were produced for this purpose in the 20th century...

六级/考研单词: embed, wax, fragrant, elaborate, breast, portray, notable, sarcasm, wit, humour, data, seldom, dislike, quit, classic, episode, lightning, scare, mild, spoil, naked, flame, melt, oxygen, ignite, suffice, upward, portion, emit, consume, exposition, thereby, regulate, trim, scissors, extinguish, construct, curve