天体 (tiān tǐ) — celestial body (e.g., stars, planets, moons); c… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

天 (sky) + 体 (body): a 'celestial body' — any natural object in space such as stars, planets, and moons. The second sense, 'celestial sphere,' is the apparent dome of the sky used as a reference in astronomy.

noun

celestial body (e.g., stars, planets, moons)celestial sphere (the apparent sphere of the sky)

Measure word · 个

Examples

天体。
Kē xué jiā yòng wàng yuǎn jìng guān chá yáo yuǎn de tiān tǐ.
Scientists use telescopes to observe distant celestial bodies.
天体。
Tài yáng shì lí dì qiú zuì jìn de tiān tǐ.
The sun is the celestial body closest to Earth.
天体。
Tiān wén xué yán jiū tiān tǐ de yùn dòng hé jié gòu.
Astronomy studies the movements and structures of celestial bodies.

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.

天 names the sky and 体 names a body, together referring to a heavenly body.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

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.

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 體; 体 is its simplified writing.

骨豊體

Meaning part形符xíngfú

骨骨gǔbone

Sound part声符shēngfú

豊

豊lǐ體tǐ

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 體 pairs 骨 (bone) with 豊 as a sound part; this note is about 體, not about the parts of 体.

Appears in

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.