noun HSK 2
star · heavenly body · satellite · small amount
Meaning
星 refers to celestial bodies visible in the night sky, primarily stars but also planets and satellites. It's a fundamental word in Chinese astronomy and everyday language. The character depicts sparks or lights in the sky.
Usage
Commonly used in astronomy contexts and metaphorically for celebrities (明星). Often appears in compounds like 星期 (week) and 星球 (planet). When describing amounts, 一星半点 means 'a tiny bit'.
Examples
- 01今晚的星星真多啊！!There are so many stars tonight!
- 02她是中国最有名的电影明星。.She is China's most famous movie star.
Measure words
- 颗一颗星
Common collocations
- 星星stars (reduplicated, colloquial)
- 星期week
- 明星celebrity, star
- 星球celestial body, planet
Origin
The character combines 日 (sun) and 生 (to be born/arise), originally representing celestial bodies that appear to be born from the sky at night.