Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 月亮 | yuèliàng | /ɥɛ⁵¹ li̯ɑŋ¹/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Mainland China, standard, Sinological IPA) /ɥɛ⁵¹ li̯ɑ̃ɻ¹/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Erhua, Sinological IPA) |
|
| 月球 | yuèqiú | /ɥɛ⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi̯oʊ̯³⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /ɥɛ⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi̯ɤʊ̯ɻʷ³⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Erhua, Sinological IPA) |
|
| 月 | yuè | /ɥɛ⁵¹/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /ye²¹/ (Mandarin, Chengdu, Sinological IPA) |
|
| 太陰 / 太阴 | tàiyīn | ||
| 月娘 | go̍eh-niû, ge̍h-niû | /ɡe(ʔ)²⁴⁻² niũ²⁴/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Jinjiang, Taipei, Singapore, Philippines, Sinological IPA, Wanhua, Magong, Hsinchu) /ɡe(ʔ)²⁴⁻² niu²⁴/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Jinjiang, Taipei, Singapore, Philippines, Sinological IPA, Wanhua, Magong, Hsinchu) |
Hokkien |
The term refers to the natural satellite of planet Earth. While 月亮 is the standard way to describe the moon seen in the sky, the single character 月 can also mean "month" depending on the surrounding words. Use 月球 specifically when discussing the moon as an astronomical body or in scientific contexts such as space exploration.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 月亮 is composed of 月 (moon) and 亮 (bright/light).
Which one should you use?
月亮 is used for everyday, poetic or descriptive references to the moon in the sky. In contrast, 月球 is the scientific term used for the celestial body and its physical properties. The single character 月 is a more basic form that can also signify a "month".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Dungan, you can use йүәлён or йүә. In Hokkien, the term is 月娘.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is yuèliàng (/ɥɛ⁵¹ li̯ɑŋ¹/).
Did you know?
- In Chinese folklore, the moon is inhabited by a goddess named Chang'e and a jade rabbit who pounds the elixir of immortality with a mortar and pestle.
- The formal term 太阴 (Tàiyīn) is rooted in ancient cosmology, where it represents the 'Great Yin' to complement the 'Great Yang' of the sun.
- The single character 月 is a pictograph that was originally drawn to resemble the shape of a crescent moon.
Examples in context
- 昨晚是满月。Last night there was a full moon.This sentence uses 月 to describe a full moon.Tatoeba #713172 by Yashanti, translation #713173 by CM
- 昨晚月亮圓。The moon was full last night.This sentence uses 月亮 to describe a full moon.Tatoeba #5845582 by verdastelo9604, translation #5576348 by CK
- 今晚月亮很圆。There's a full moon tonight.Tatoeba #9918416 by yly123, translation #3675901 by speedwell
- 夜晚的月亮特别明亮。The moon at night is exceptionally bright.
- 皓月当空，照亮大地。The full moon shines brightly, illuminating the earth.
- 今晚的月儿非常美丽。The moon tonight is exceptionally beautiful.
- 60 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Wei and Jiayi are walking home at night.
- 伟 Wei你看，月亮出来了。Nǐ kàn, yuèliang chūlái le.Look, the moon is out.
- 佳怡 Jiayi真的很漂亮。Zhēn de hěn piàoliang.It is really beautiful.
- 伟 Wei今晚的月亮很亮。Jīnwǎn de yuèliang hěn liàng.The moon is very bright tonight.
- 佳怡 Jiayi我也这么觉得。Wǒ yě zhème juéde.I think so too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “moon” translations and entries 月亮, 月球, 月, 月娘, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
