星图 (xīng tú) — star chart, star map, star atlas

Definition

noun
star chartstar mapstar atlas
Measure word · 张

Examples

  • 星图。
    Zhè zhāng xīng tú biāo chū le suǒ yǒu kě jiàn de xīng zuò.
    This star chart marks all the visible constellations.
  • 星图。
    Wǎn shàng kàn xīng tú néng bāng wǒ men zhǎo dào yín hé.
    Looking at a star map at night helps us find the Milky Way.
  • 星图。
    Tiān wén xué jiā měi tiān dōu yào yán jiū zuì xīn de xīng tú.
    Astronomers study the latest star atlases every day.

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.

星xīngstar
图túchart

星 (star) with 图 (chart) names a chart or map of stars.

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.

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

Open 星 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 圖; 图 is its simplified writing.

  • 囗囗wéiwalled city
  • 啚啚bǐ

The traditional form 圖 pairs 囗, a walled city, with 啚, an early form meaning remote areas or territory. The simplified 图 is a later abbreviation.

Open 图 →

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