彗星
suisei[sɨise̞ː]
The English word "comet" is translated into Japanese as 彗星 (suisei). Wiktionary also lists 箒星 (hōkiboshi).
Meaning: a celestial body, generally with a tail (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 彗星 | suisei | [sɨise̞ː] (narrow) |
| 箒星 | hōkiboshi | [ho̞ːkʲibo̞ɕi] (narrow) |
彗星 refers to the celestial body.
Which one should you use?
彗星 is the standard scientific and formal term for a comet, whereas 箒星 is a more descriptive, traditional term.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
suisei
Did you know?
- In Japanese folklore, the appearance of a 彗星 was often viewed as an omen of great change or disaster, similar to the 'broom' sweeping away the old order.
- The word 箒星 demonstrates a linguistic phenomenon called 'rendaku', where the 'h' in hoshi changes to a 'b' to make the phrase easier to pronounce.
- In modern Japanese pop culture, 彗星 is frequently used in titles for romantic or fateful encounters that happen unexpectedly and briefly.
Examples in context
- サッカー界に新たなスターが彗星のごとく現れた。A new star has appeared like a comet in the soccer world.This sentence is useful for seeing how the idiom 彗星のごとく is used to describe a sudden and brilliant appearance.Tatoeba #10497148 by Kojimano, translation #12245449 by DJ_Saidez
- 夜空に美しい彗星が見えます。Yozora ni utsukushii suisei ga miemasu.A beautiful comet can be seen in the night sky.
- あの彗星の尾はとても長いですね。Ano suisei no o wa totemo nagai desu ne.That comet's tail is very long, isn't it?
Example conversation
Yota and Misaki are looking at the night sky together.
- 陽太 Yota見て！あの光っているのは彗星かな？Mite! Ano hikatte iru no wa suisei kana?Look! I wonder if that shining thing is a comet?
- 美咲 Misaki本当だね。とても綺麗に輝いているよ。Hontou da ne. Totemo kirei ni kagayayite iru yo.You're right. It's shining very beautifully.
- 陽太 Yotaあんなに長い尾が見えるなんてすごいな。Anna ni nagai o ga mieru nante sugoi na.It's amazing that we can see such a long tail.
- 美咲 Misaki運良く見られて良かったね、陽太。Un yoku mirarete yokatta ne, Youta.I'm glad we were lucky enough to see it, Yota.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “comet” translations and entries 彗星, 箒星, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 箒星, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
