小行星 (xiǎo xíng xīng) — asteroid (minor planet)

Definition

noun

asteroid (minor planet)

Measure word · 颗

，小行星。
Zài tài yáng xì zhōng, hěn duō xiǎo xíng xīng zài huǒ xīng hé mù xīng zhī jiān yùn xíng.
In the solar system, many asteroids orbit between Mars and Jupiter.
小行星。
Kē xué jiā zhèng zài yán jiū yì kē xīn de xiǎo xíng xīng.
Scientists are studying a new asteroid.
小行星。
Zhè kuài shí tou kě néng lái zì yì kē xiǎo xíng xīng.
This rock may have come from an asteroid.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

行星moving star

偏正Modifier + head

小 means 'small' and 行星 means 'moving star', giving an asteroid.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The shape of 小 comes from three small dots, later elongated into its strokes; the apparent parts 八 and 丨 are a later way of seeing it.

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

彳亍行

The shape of 行 originally showed a street intersection, even on both sides. Later it became uneven, with 彳 on the left and 亍 on the right.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

The top of 星 is a later simplified form of 晶, twinkling stars; the bottom 生 shows the sound.

Appears in