TongTong
Sign in

星形 (xīng xíng) — star shape (geometric shape with points); star-shaped (form of an object)

Definition

A compound noun meaning 'star shape' — a shape with points like a five-pointed star, or an object formed in that shape. Often used as an attributive before another noun (e.g. 星形图案 'star-shaped pattern').

noun
star shape (geometric shape with points)star-shaped (form of an object)

Examples

  • 星形。
    Zhè kuài dàn gāo bèi zuò chéng le xīng xíng.
    This cake was made into a star shape.
  • 星形。
    Tā zài zhǐ shàng huà le yí gè xīng xíng tú àn.
    He drew a star-shaped pattern on the paper.
  • 星形。
    Gōng yuán lǐ de huā tán shè jì chéng xīng xíng.
    The flowerbed in the park is designed as a star shape.

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
形xíngshape

星 means star and 形 means shape; together they describe a shape like a 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.

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
彡彡shān
Sound part声符shēngfú
井
井jǐng形xíng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

形 is made from 彡 and 井, with 井 providing the sound.

Open 形 →
Appears in
Shapes

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