彗星 (huì xīng) — comet; (in traditional Chinese astrology) an om…

Definition

noun

comet(in traditional Chinese astrology) an ominous celestial omen, often portending revolution or disaster

Measure word · 颗

彗星。
Zuó tiān wǎn shàng wǒ kàn dào yì kē huì xīng.
I saw a comet last night.
，彗星。
Zài gǔ dài, rén men rèn wéi huì xīng shì bù xiáng zhī zhào.
In ancient times, people believed comets were ill omens.
。
Hā léi huì xīng měi qī shí liù nián chū xiàn yí cì.
Halley's Comet appears once every seventy-six years.

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.

彗huìbroom

彗 gives broom and 星 gives star, making a star with a broom-like tail.

Characters in this word

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

彗 shows 又 (hand) holding 甡 (broom), a broom made of bamboo.

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.

Appears in