The specific epithet lucida is from the Latin meaning 'shining', referring to the leaf surface.

[2] Castanopsis lucida grows as a tree up to 20 metres (70 ft) tall with a trunk diameter of up to 40 cm (16 in).

The brown bark is glabrescent, lenticellate, fissured or occasionally smooth.

[2] Castanopsis lucida grows naturally in Borneo, Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore.

[1][2] Its habitat is hill dipterocarp forests up to 500 m (1,600 ft) elevation.