满天星 (mǎn tiān xīng) — Serissa foetida (a flowering shrub); a starry sky; a sky full of stars

Definition

Literally 'stars filling the sky.' In everyday use it most often means baby's breath (the small white flower used in bouquets); the literal 'starry sky' sense is secondary.

noun
Serissa foetida (a flowering shrub)a starry skya sky full of stars
Measure word · 棵

Examples

  • 满天星。
    Tā mǎi le yí shù mǎn tiān xīng fàng zài huā píng lǐ.
    She bought a bunch of baby's breath and put it in the vase.
  • 满天星，。
    Jīn wǎn mǎn tiān xīng, fēi cháng měi lì.
    Tonight the sky is full of stars; it's very beautiful.
  • 满天星。
    Tā xiào qǐ lái xiàng mǎn tiān xīng yí yàng càn làn.
    Her smile is as brilliant as a starry sky.

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.

满天fill the sky
满mǎnfill天tiānsky
动宾Verb + object
星xīngstar

满 means fill, 天 means sky, and 星 means star, together giving stars filling the sky.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 滿; 满 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
㒼
㒼㒼滿mǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 滿 pairs 水, showing water, with 㒼, giving the sound. The simplified 满 is a later shorthand, not the original shape.

Open 满 →

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
大大dà
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng天tiān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The shape comes from a frontal standing man 大 with a head; 天 pairs 大 with 丁 for sound.

Open 天 →

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 →

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