星星
xing xing/ɕiŋ⁵⁵ ɕiŋ⁵⁵/
The English word 'star' can be translated into Mandarin as 星星 (xing xing).
In an astronomical sense, a star is a luminous celestial body made of plasma. Related terms include 星光 for starlight and 星座 for a constellation. Note that while the word for celestial stars is related, the term 明星 is used specifically to refer to celebrities or stars in the entertainment industry.
Meaning: (astronomy) a luminous celestial body made of plasma (noun)
Which one should you use?
While 星星 is the standard way to refer to stars, the single character 星 is used in more formal, scientific or compound contexts. The term 恒星 is used specifically to refer to stellar objects.
How does it change in a sentence?
The single-character form 星 is used in more formal, scientific or compound contexts, whereas the reduplicated form 星星 is more common in casual speech. You can create the diminutive term 小星星 by adding the prefix 小 to the word.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is xing xing (/ɕiŋ⁵⁵ ɕiŋ⁵⁵/).
Did you know?
- In Mandarin, the word for a 'star' in a movie is often referred to as having 'star quality' through the term 星味, which literally means 'star flavor'.
- In traditional Chinese astronomy, stars were not just celestial bodies but were linked to the 星宫 or 'star palaces'. These were celestial counterparts to earthly imperial administration.
- The word for constellation, 星座, combines 'star' with 座, which means 'seat' or 'stand'. This suggests the stars are sitting in a fixed position in the sky.
Examples in context
- 那顆星星可以用裸眼看到。That star is visible to the naked eye.This sentence is useful for describing the visibility of a 星星.Tatoeba #2757108 by cienias, translation #1020526 by mutskt
- 那儿的小星星是所有星星里最亮的。That tiny star there is the brightest out of all the stars.This sentence demonstrates how to use the diminutive form 小星星 to describe a bright star.Tatoeba #10002050 by GlossaMatik, translation #11272763 by Aphima
- 星星沒有被看到。Not a star was to be seen.This sentence shows the use of 星星 in a negative context regarding visibility.Tatoeba #778034 by Martha, translation #271535 by CM
- 夜空中有一颗明亮的星。There is a bright star in the night sky.
- 恒星之间的距离非常遥远。The distance between stars is extremely vast.
- 今晚的星星真美。The stars tonight are so beautiful.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A young couple is stargazing in a dark park.
- 浩然 Haoran你看，那颗星星真亮。Nǐ kàn, nà kē xīngxing zhēn liàng.Look, that star is really bright.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen是的，我也看到了。Shì de, wǒ yě kàn dào le.Yes, I see it too.
- 浩然 Haoran今晚的星星很多。Jīnwǎn de xīngxing hěnduō.There are many stars tonight.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen浩然，景色真美。Hàorán, jǐngsè zhēn měi.Haoran, the view is beautiful.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 星星, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
