A transflective liquid crystal display uses a partial reflector behind the pixel layer to bounce ambient light back to the viewer while also allowing a backlight to pass through from behind. This dual-mode operation ensures the screen remains readable under bright direct sunlight without drawing heavy backlight power, while still functioning in total darkness. They are heavily used in outdoor instrumentation and rugged handhelds.
Heard on the job
We need a transflective panel for the marine radio so the user can actually read it at high noon.