彗星
huìxīng
The English word 'comet' is translated into Chinese as 彗星 (huìxīng). If unsure, use 彗星. Wiktionary also lists 掃帚星 / 扫帚星 (sàozhǒuxīng) and 掃把星 / 扫把星 (sàobǎxīng).
Meaning: a celestial body, generally with a tail (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 彗星 | huìxīng |
| 掃帚星 / 扫帚星 | sàozhǒuxīng |
| 掃把星 / 扫把星 | sàobǎxīng |
The primary term for a comet is 彗星. However, 掃把星 can also be used as a slang term to describe a person who is a 'jinx' or a bringer of bad luck.
What does it mean word for word?
The colloquial term 掃帚星 literally means 'broom star', which refers to the appearance of a comet's tail looking like a broom.
Which one should you use?
彗星 is the standard, scientific term used to describe the celestial body. In contrast, 掃帚星 and 掃把星 are more descriptive and colloquial ways to refer to a comet.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is huìxīng.
Did you know?
- In ancient China, the appearance of a 掃帚星 was often recorded by court astronomers as a warning of impending political turmoil or the death of an emperor.
- The character 彗 in 彗星 originally depicted a hand holding a broom to sweep away dust.
- In traditional Chinese astronomy, comets were often viewed as omens of instability, which is why the 'broom' metaphor for 'sweeping away' order became so culturally ingrained.
Examples in context
- 哈雷彗星將在2061回來。Halley's Comet will come back in 2061.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use 彗星 when referring to a specific celestial body.Tatoeba #875268 by Martha, translation #34987 by CN
- 昨天晚上，我在夜空中看到一颗美丽的彗星。Yesterday, I saw a beautiful comet in the night sky.
- 我小弟弟相信彗星能够实现愿望。My little brother believes that comets can grant wishes.
- 天空中出現了一顆彗星。Tiānkōng zhōng chūxiànle yī kē huìxīng.A comet appeared in the sky.
- 他在天文望遠鏡裡看到了彗星。Tā zài tiānwén wàngyuǎnjìng lǐ kàndàole huìxīng.He saw a comet through the astronomical telescope.
Example conversation
Xiao Wen and Jun Jie are looking at the night sky.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen俊杰，你看那是彗星嗎？Jùnjié, nǐ kàn nà shì huìxīng ma?Jun Jie, look, is that a comet?
- 俊杰 Junjie對，那是很罕見的彗星。Duì, nà shì hěn hǎnjiàn de huìxīng.Yes, that is a very rare comet.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen它的尾巴真的很長。Tā de wěiba zhēn de hěn cháng.Its tail is really long.
- 俊杰 Junjie我們快用望遠鏡看看吧。Wǒmen kuài yòng wàngyuǎnjì kànkan ba.Let's quickly look through the telescope.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “comet” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
