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星座 (xīng zuò) — constellation (a group of stars forming a pattern); astrological sign (one of the 12 zodiac signs)

Definition

Used both for actual star patterns in the night sky and, in everyday talk, for the 12 Western astrological signs (白羊座, 双子座, etc.) people identify with.

noun
constellation (a group of stars forming a pattern)astrological sign (one of the 12 zodiac signs)
Measure word · 张

Examples

  • 星座。
    Wǎn shàng zài xiāng xia néng kàn dào hěn duō xīng zuò.
    You can see many constellations in the countryside at night.
  • 星座，。
    Wǒ chá le yí xià wǒ de xīng zuò, fā xiàn wǒ shì shuāng zǐ zuò.
    I checked my astrological sign and found I'm Gemini.
  • 星座。
    Tā zài qiáng shàng tiē le yì zhāng xīng zuò tú.
    She stuck a star chart on the wall.

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
座zuòposition

星 refers to stars, and 座 refers to a position or grouping; together they name a pattern 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 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
广广guǎnghouse on cliff
Sound part声符shēngfú
坐
坐zuò座zuò
Same sound today

座 pairs 广, a house on a cliff, with 坐 to give the sound.

Open 座 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Sky & Space

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