sing1 sing1星星
Jyutpingsing1 sing1
Yalesīng sīng
Definition
Star; a shining celestial body in the night sky, or a star-shaped geometric pattern.
- a shining celestial body in the night sky
- a geometric star shape with multiple sharp points
colloquialnature
How it's used
Cantonese speakers almost exclusively use the reduplicated form 星星 when referring to stars in the sky. While the single character 星 is used in compound words like 明星 or 星球, using it alone to mean a celestial star sounds unnatural or overly poetic. Always remember to use the classifier 粒 when counting them.
Measure word
nap1粒nāpExamples
The stars are beautiful tonight.
Look up at the sky, how many stars are there?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use 個 as a measure word for stars, but 粒 is the correct classifier for small, round, or point-like objects including stars.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- TonesCantonese has six tones, and the tones can change in certain grammatical contexts. Learn the six tones and the rules for tone change.
- Time and datesClock time, days of the week, months, and years. The patterns you need to make plans and talk about when things happen.
- Modal verbsHow to say can, will, may, should, must, and want. The core modal verbs of Cantonese and the differences that trip up beginners.
