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星星 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
星星xīngxingstar in the skyHSK 4, unknown, 18 strokes, rank #3287, Medium
xīngxing(xing1xing5)xing xing T1
  1. 1star in the sky
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March 24, 2026

星星xīngxing(xing1xing5)

星星 (xīng xing) means 'stars' and refers to the celestial bodies visible in the night sky. It is commonly used in both literal and metaphorical contexts, such as expressing admiration for someone's brilliance or beauty, akin to saying someone shines like a star.

Strokes18Frequency#3287DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, stars are often associated with romantic poetry and traditional stories, such as the tale of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, where they are depicted as lovers separated by the Milky Way, meeting only once a year.

Memory Tip

Imagine a night sky filled with twinkling stars (星星). The first character 星 (xīng) resembles a star, with its sharp points, while the second character 星 (xing) sounds like 'sing,' so picture a star singing beautifully in the sky to help you remember the pronunciation.

Meanings of 星星

xīngxing(xing1xing5)
1star in the sky
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About 星星

星星Simplified
18Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L4ElementaryTOCFLL2HSKKL1CEFRA1

Podcast: 星星

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Podcast: 星星

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AI Study Notes for 星星

Quick Contrast

星球 (xīngqiú) refers to 'planets' and is used for celestial bodies that orbit stars, while 星星 (xīngxing) specifically means 'stars' that emit light.

Usage Notes

When using 星星, remember that it is often used in informal contexts and can be repeated for emphasis. A common mistake is to use a singular form in contexts that require the plural, such as saying 'the star' instead of 'the stars' when referring to multiple celestial bodies.

HSK Study Tips

Although 星星 is not officially listed in HSK levels, it relates to HSK 1 vocabulary like 太阳 (tài yáng - sun) and 月亮 (yuè liàng - moon), which are also celestial terms. Focus on recognizing the characters and practicing pronunciation to build connections with other related words.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse the tones and pronounce it incorrectly as 'xing1 xing1' instead of 'xing1 xing5'. Additionally, some might use 星星 in overly formal contexts, which can sound awkward.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 星星

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Component Characters

星xīngstar
HSK 19 strokes日
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星xīngstar
HSK 19 strokes日
View full entry

How to say star in the sky in Chinese

“star in the sky” in Chinese is星星xīngxing

星星 (xīng xing) means 'stars' and refers to the celestial bodies visible in the night sky. It is commonly used in both literal and metaphorical contexts, such as expressing admiration for someone's brilliance or beauty, akin to saying someone shines like a star.

When to use 星星

When using 星星, remember that it is often used in informal contexts and can be repeated for emphasis. A common mistake is to use a singular form in contexts that require the plural, such as saying 'the star' instead of 'the stars' when referring to multiple celestial bodies.

星星 or something close to it

星球 (xīngqiú) refers to 'planets' and is used for celestial bodies that orbit stars, while 星星 (xīngxing) specifically means 'stars' that emit light.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse the tones and pronounce it incorrectly as 'xing1 xing1' instead of 'xing1 xing5'. Additionally, some might use 星星 in overly formal contexts, which can sound awkward.

Write 星星

星
星

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Frequently Asked Questions about 星星

The first '星' is pronounced with a high level tone (xīng), and the second '星' has a falling tone (xing5).

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