星 xīng star
How to remember 星: 日 sun + 生 life = star. When the sun sets, the old astronomer who gave her whole life to the sky points at her favourite star.
Component breakdown
形声 · Meaning + sound
One part gives the meaning, the other gives the sound.
星 = 日 sun + 生 life
- 日 sun meaning
- 生 life sound
- ㇒ falling stroke
- 龶 plant
When the sun sets, the old astronomer who gave her whole life to the sky points at her favourite star.
How it came to be
The oldest form shows small circles for twinkling stars, with the life block added for the sound.
How it is used
- 'Star': 星星 (xīngxing) a star, 明星 (míngxīng) a celebrity, 卫星 (wèixīng) satellite.
- Its most common everyday job is the week: 星期 (xīngqī) week, 星期一 (xīngqīyī) Monday … 星期天 Sunday.
Characters built with 星
Words with 星
- 星期xīngqīweekHSK 1
- 星期天xīngqītiānSundayHSK 1
- 星期日xīngqīrìSundayHSK 1
- 星星xīngxinga starHSK 4
- 明星míngxīngstarHSK 5
- 卫星wèixīngsatelliteHSK 7
- 外星人wàixīngrénspace alienHSK 7
- 星座xīngzuòconstellationHSK 7
- 星球xīngqiúcelestial body (e.g. planet, satellite etc)HSK 7
- 星系xīngxìgalaxyHSK 7
- 星级xīngjístar ratingHSK 7
- 行星xíngxīngplanetHSK 7
- 零星língxīngfragmentaryHSK 7
- 恒星héngxīngstarHSK 8
Example sentences
- 一个星期有七天。 Yí gè xīngqī yǒu qī tiān.There are seven days in a week.
- 她是有名的电影明星。 Tā shì yǒumíng de diànyǐng míngxīng.She is a famous movie star.