红星 (hóng xīng) — red star (symbol of communism, the Chinese flag, or the People's Liberation Army); also literally a red star

Definition

Literal 'red star' with strong political meaning: the five red stars on China's flag and the emblem of the People's Liberation Army. Often used for Communist Party symbolism, medals, and revolutionary history.

noun
red star (symbol of communism, the Chinese flag, or the People's Liberation Army)also literally a red star
Measure word · 颗

Examples

  • 红星。
    Zhè miàn qí shàng yǒu yì kē hóng xīng.
    There is a red star on this flag.
  • 红星。
    hóng xīng Shì zhōng guó gé mìng de zhòng yào xiàng zhēng.
    The red star is an important symbol of the Chinese revolution.
  • 红星。
    Zhàn shì men dài zhe hóng xīng jūn mào.
    The soldiers wear red star caps.

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.

红hóngred
星xīngstar

红 means red and 星 means star, so together they name a red 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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 紅; 红 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìsilk
Sound part声符shēngfú
工
工gōng紅hóng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 紅 puts 糸 (silk) next to 工, which gives the sound; the simplified 红 is a later shorthand.

Open 红 →

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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