IPA: /ˈsʌnˌbiːm/
KK: /ˈsʌnˌbim/
A ray of light from the sun that shines down to the ground.
The sunbeam broke through the clouds and lit up the garden.
Sunbeam → It is formed from "sun" (from Old English *sunne*, meaning the star that provides light and warmth) and "beam" (from Old English *bēam*, meaning a ray or a beam of light). The word "sunbeam" refers to a ray of light that comes from the sun.
Think of the 'sun' as the source of light and 'beam' as a ray — together, they create the image of a ray of light coming from the sun.
No commonly confused words.