月亮

• Pinyin: yuè liang
• Hanzi breakdown: 月 = pictograph of a crescent moon; 亮 = 亠 (top) + 口 (mouth) + 几 (legs), meaning 'bright/shining'

Meaning

Moon. The natural satellite of the Earth, visible in the night sky.

The everyday word for 'moon.' The moon holds deep cultural significance in Chinese culture — it symbolises reunion and is central to the Mid-Autumn Festival when families gather to admire the full moon and eat mooncakes. Common in poetry and expressions about homesickness.

Examples

1. 今天晚上的月亮真圆。 The moon is really round tonight.
2. 中秋节的时候大家一起看月亮。 During the Mid-Autumn Festival, everyone watches the moon together.
3. 月亮从山后面升起来了。 The moon rose from behind the mountain.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, nature, culture

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 今晚的月亮好亮啊！(The moon is so bright tonight!)
• 小时候妈妈常给我唱月亮的歌。(When I was little, mom often sang me songs about the moon.)

Don't Say

• 天上有两个月亮。(Don't use 个 for the moon — use 轮 for a full moon: 一轮月亮, or 弯 for a crescent: 一弯月亮.)

Origin & History

Compound of 月 (moon) and 亮 (bright/shining), literally 'bright moon.' The character 月 itself is a pictograph of a crescent moon.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal