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Planets, stars and star signs in Chinese

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The planets

  1. shuǐ水xīng星

    Mercury (planet)

  2. jīn金xīng星

    Venus (planet)

  3. dì地qiú球

    the earth; globe

  4. huǒ火xīng星

    Mars (planet)

  5. mù木xīng星

    Jupiter (planet)

  6. tǔ土xīng星

    Saturn (planet)

  7. tiān天wáng王xīng星

    Uranus (planet)

  8. hǎi海wáng王xīng星

    Neptune (planet)

  9. míng冥wáng王xīng星

    Pluto (dwarf planet)

Sun, moon and stars

  1. tài太yáng阳

    sun

  2. yuè月liang亮

    the moon

  3. xīng星xing星

    star (in the sky)

  4. xíng行xīng星

    planet

  5. héng恒xīng星

    star (sun-like body)

  6. wèi卫xīng星

    satellite

  7. liú流xīng星

    meteor; shooting star

  8. huì彗xīng星

    comet

  9. mǎn满yuè月

    full moon

  10. rì日shí食

    solar eclipse

  11. yuè月shí食

    lunar eclipse

Star signs

  1. xīng星zuò座

    constellation

  2. bái白yáng羊zuò座

    Aries (zodiac sign)

  3. jīn金niú牛zuò座

    Taurus (constellation and zodiac sign)

  4. shuāng双zǐ子zuò座

    Gemini (constellation and zodiac sign)

  5. jù巨xiè蟹zuò座

    Cancer (constellation and zodiac sign)

  6. shī狮zi子zuò座

    Leo (constellation and zodiac sign)

  7. chù处nǚ女zuò座

    Virgo (zodiac sign)

  8. tiān天chèng秤zuò座

    Libra (zodiac sign)

  9. tiān天xiē蝎zuò座

    Scorpio; Scorpius

  10. shè射shǒu手zuò座

    Sagittarius (constellation and zodiac sign)

  11. mó摩jié羯zuò座

    Capricorn (zodiac sign)

  12. shuǐ水píng瓶zuò座

    Aquarius (zodiac sign)

  13. shuāng双yú鱼zuò座

    Pisces (zodiac sign)

Chinese stars and constellations

  1. sì四xiàng象

    the Four Symbols (Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise)

  2. èr二shí十bā八xiù宿

    the 28 lunar mansions (of Chinese astronomy)

  3. běi北dǒu斗qī七xīng星

    the Big Dipper

  4. běi北jí极xīng星

    North Star; Polaris

  5. niú牛láng郎xīng星

    Altair (star)

  6. zhī织nǚ女xīng星

    Vega (star)

  7. qǐ启míng明xīng星

    Venus as the morning star

  8. yín银hé河

    the Milky Way

Space

  1. yǔ宇zhòu宙

    universe; cosmos

  2. tài太kōng空

    outer space; space

  3. yín银hé河xì系

    Milky Way galaxy

  4. xīng星xì系

    galaxy; star system

  5. hēi黑dòng洞

    black hole

  6. wài外xīng星rén人

    alien; extraterrestrial

  7. huǒ火jiàn箭

    rocket

  8. yǔ宇háng航yuán员

    astronaut

  9. wàng望yuǎn远jìng镜

    telescope; binoculars

  10. tiān天wén文xué学

    astronomy

Why are the planets named after the five elements?

The five planets seen without a telescope were named for the five elements: 水星 (shuǐxīng, Mercury) is the water star, 金星 (jīnxīng, Venus) metal, 火星 (huǒxīng, Mars) fire, 木星 (mùxīng, Jupiter) wood and 土星 (tǔxīng, Saturn) earth. The later ones translate their European names: 天王星 (tiānwángxīng, Uranus) is the heavenly king and 海王星 (hǎiwángxīng, Neptune) the sea king.

How do you ask someone’s star sign in Chinese?

你是什么星座？(Nǐ shì shénme xīngzuò?) means “What’s your star sign?”. The answer is a sign plus 座 (zuò): 我是狮子座 (shīzizuò, Leo).

What are the Chinese constellations?

Chinese astronomy divides the sky into 二十八宿 (èrshíbāxiù, the 28 lunar mansions), grouped under 四象 (sìxiàng, the Four Symbols): the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird and Black Tortoise.

Which stars are the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl?

牛郎星 (niúlángxīng, Altair) and 织女星 (zhīnǚxīng, Vega), on either side of 银河 (yínhé, the Milky Way). In the legend they meet once a year, on 七夕 (Qīxī), Chinese Valentine’s Day.

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More on the sky

Names, pinyin and meanings from our own dictionary.