日食
rìshí
In Chinese, 'eclipse' is expressed through several terms, with 日食 (rìshí) being the default form. Wiktionary also lists 日蝕 / 日蚀 (rìshí) and 月食 (yuèshí).
Meaning: passage of a planetary object between others (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 日食 | rìshí |
| 日蝕 / 日蚀 | rìshí |
| 月食 | yuèshí |
| 月蝕 / 月蚀 | yuèshí |
| 交食 | jiāoshí |
These terms refer to the passage of a planetary object between others. The character 食 (shí) acts as the root for all types of astronomical eclipses in Chinese.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 日食 consists of 日 (sun) and 食 (to eat/consume), literally meaning 'the sun is being eaten'. Similarly, 月食 consists of 月 (moon) and 食 (to eat/consume), literally meaning 'the moon is being eaten'.
Which one should you use?
Use 日食 (rìshí) specifically for a solar eclipse and 月食 (yuèshí) specifically for a lunar eclipse. The term 交食 (jiāoshí) is also used to describe an eclipse.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Chinese, these terms function as nouns and do not require a particle to indicate the object being eclipsed.
How do you pronounce it?
rìshí
Did you know?
- Ancient Chinese people believed a celestial dragon was eating the sun during a 日食, so they would beat drums and make loud noises to scare the beast away.
- In ancient Chinese imperial history, a 日食 was often interpreted as a warning from heaven that the Emperor was failing his people.
- While 食 means 'to eat', the traditional character 蝕 specifically means 'to eat away' or 'corrode', reflecting a more scientific view of a gradual disappearance.
Examples in context
- 月食是一種罕見的現象。An eclipse of the moon is a rare phenomenon.This sentence is useful for describing the rarity of the phenomenon using 月食.Tatoeba #729433 by nickyeow, translation #238848 by sacredceltic
- 日食是因为月球完全或部分遮挡了太阳，使太阳的光线无法到达地球。A solar eclipse occurs when the moon partially or completely blocks the sun, preventing its light from reaching the earth.
- 今天有日食，我们可以去外面观看！There is an eclipse today, let's go outside to watch!
- 今天会有日偏食发生，请勿直接凝视太阳。There will be a partial solar eclipse today, please do not directly stare at the sun.
- 這次日食很壯觀。zhè cì rìshí hěn zhuàngguān.This solar eclipse is very spectacular.
- 他在觀察日食。tā zài guānchá rìshí.He is observing the solar eclipse.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about an astronomical event.
- 浩然 Haoran曉雯，妳知道明天有日食嗎？Xiǎo wén, nǐ zhī dào míng tiān yǒu rì shí ma?Xiaowen, do you know there is a solar eclipse tomorrow?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen真的嗎？我完全不知道。zhēn de ma? wǒ wán quán bù zhī dào.Really? I had no idea.
- 浩然 Haoran我們要一起去公園看日食。wǒ men yào yī qǐ qù gōng yuán kàn rì shí.We should go to the park together to see the solar eclipse.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen好啊，我會準備好眼鏡。hǎo a, wǒ huì zhǔn bèi hǎo yǎn jìng.Sure, I will get my glasses ready.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “eclipse” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
