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新星 (xīn xīng) — (astronomy) nova; (figurative) rising star, new talent

Definition

Literally "new star": the astronomy term for a nova, and a common metaphor for a talented newcomer. Measure word is 颗 for the celestial object and 位 for the person.

noun
(astronomy) nova(figurative) rising starnew talent
Measure word · 颗

Examples

  • 新星。
    Tiān wén xué jiā fā xiàn le yì kē xīn xīng.
    Astronomers discovered a nova.
  • 新星。
    Tā zài gōng sī lǐ shì yí wèi xīn xīng.
    He is a rising star in the company.
  • 新星。
    Zhè zhī xīn yuè duì shì yīn yuè jiè de xīn xīng.
    This new band is a rising star in the music industry.

Origin

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.

新xīnnew
星xīngstar

新 means new and 星 means star, so 新星 is a new star.

Characters in this word

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

假借jiǎjièLater borrowed for its sound alone — the picture has nothing to do with today’s meaning.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
斤斤jīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
辛
辛xīn新xīn
Same sound today

The shape originally paired 斤, for chopping wood, with 辛 for sound. It was borrowed for its sound to write 新, so the chopping-wood parts are unrelated to 'new'.

Open 新 →

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.

Open 星 →
Appears in
Sky & Space

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