The check engine light can mean a variety of things. If it is not blinking it is typically related to the Emission Control Systems.
Take the car to an AutoZone, PepBoys, or any of the auto parts houses. They can plug the reader in and pull the code.
Typically it will mean;
- Gas Cap Loose
- O2 Sensors (Oxygen Sensor to determine how rich or lean the air fuel mixture is and whether the Catalytic Converter is doing it's job)
- MAS/MAF Sensor.
Anything can trigger it, it's best to have the code pulled and you can easily determine what the system is complaining about.