行星
xíngxīng/ɕiŋ³⁵ ɕiŋ⁵⁵/
The Chinese word for planet is 行星 (xíngxīng).
行星 refers to a similar body in orbit around a star.
Meaning: similar body in orbit around a star (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word 行星 literally means moving star. It is composed of 行, meaning to move or walk and 星, meaning star or celestial body.
Which one should you use?
While 行星 refers to a planet orbiting a star, the term 卫星 is used to refer to a satellite or a moon orbiting a planet. You can also form the word for asteroid, 小行星, by adding the prefix 小 (small) to 行星.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is xíngxīng. The IPA pronunciation is /ɕiŋ³⁵ ɕiŋ⁵⁵/.
Did you know?
- The term 行星 was not an ancient invention but was coined in 1859 by Alexander Wylie and Li Shanlan during their translation of a Western astronomy text.
- While 行星 is the scientific term, in casual conversation or poetry, people often refer to planets simply as 星 or 星球, the latter meaning 'star ball'.
- The word 行 is also used in the word for 'bank' (银行) or 'industry' (行业), showing how this single character covers movement, profession, and transit.
Examples in context
- 你來自哪個行星？Which planet are you from?This sentence is useful for asking which planet someone is from using 行星.Tatoeba #4261692 by egg0073, translation #2155685 by marcelostockle
- 我來自別的行星。I come from another planet.This sentence is useful for stating that someone comes from another 行星.Tatoeba #4261694 by egg0073, translation #2901093 by Hybrid
- 地球是一個行星。Earth is a planet.This sentence is useful for stating that Earth is a 行星.Tatoeba #4261695 by egg0073, translation #681736 by Source_VOA
- 太阳系有八颗行星，其中地球是人类居住的星球。There are eight planets in the solar system, among which the Earth is the planet where humans reside.
- 火星是太阳系中最容易观测到的行星之一。Mars is one of the most easily observable planets in the solar system.
- 据说土星对一个人的运势有很大影响，你信吗?It is said that Saturn has a significant influence on a person's fortune. Do you believe it?
- 以后我们可以一起探索未知的星球。In the future, we can explore unknown planets together.
- 22 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two students are talking about a science museum exhibit.
- 俊杰 Junjie你看，這個模型是哪顆行星？Nǐ kàn, zhège móxíng shì nǎ kē xíngxīng?Look, which planet is this model?
- 佳怡 Jiayi我想那是火星。Wǒ xiǎng nà shì Huǒxīng.I think that is Mars.
- 俊杰 Junjie原來這個行星是紅色的。Yuánlái zhège xíngxīng shì hóngsè de.So this planet is red.
- 佳怡 Jiayi對，所以它被稱為紅行星。Duì, suǒyǐ tā bèi chēng wèi hóng xíngxīng.Yes, that's why it's called the Red Planet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “planet” translations and entries 行星, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 行星, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
