Meaning
恒星 refers to celestial bodies that generate their own light through nuclear fusion, like our Sun. In astronomy, it distinguishes true stars from planets, comets, and other celestial objects. The term literally means 'constant/fixed star' because stars appear to maintain fixed positions relative to each other in the night sky.
Usage
This is a technical astronomical term used in scientific contexts, textbooks, and formal writing. In everyday conversation, people more commonly use 星星 (xīng xing) for 'star.' 恒星 emphasizes the astronomical classification and is the standard term in Chinese astronomy and physics.
Examples
- 01太阳是离地球最近的恒星。.The Sun is the closest star to Earth.
- 02银河系中大约有两千亿颗恒星。.There are approximately 200 billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy.
Characters
Measure words
- 颗一颗恒星
Common collocations
- 恒星系统stellar system
- 恒星演化stellar evolution
- 恒星光谱stellar spectrum
Antonyms
Origin
The term combines 恒 (constant/permanent) with 星 (star). Ancient astronomers noticed that while planets wandered across the sky, most stars maintained fixed relative positions throughout the year, hence 'fixed stars.'