天文

• Pinyin: tiān wén
• Hanzi breakdown: 天 = heaven/sky; 文 = pictograph of a person with tattoo marks, meaning pattern or writing

Meaning

Astronomy; celestial phenomena; relating to the study of space and celestial bodies.

Refers to the scientific study of celestial objects and phenomena. Used in terms like 天文学 (astronomy), 天文台 (observatory), and 天文数字 (astronomical figure, meaning an extremely large number). One of the oldest sciences in Chinese history.

Examples

1. 他从小就对天文感兴趣，梦想成为一名天文学家。 He's been interested in astronomy since childhood and dreams of becoming an astronomer.
2. 北京天文馆经常举办科普活动，吸引很多孩子参加。 The Beijing Planetarium frequently holds science education events, attracting many children.
3. 这笔投资是个天文数字，普通人根本无法想象。 This investment is an astronomical figure — ordinary people can't even imagine it.

Usage Guide

Context: science, education, figurative

Tone: informative

Do Say

• 天文望远镜。(Astronomical telescope.)
• 天文数字的债务。(Astronomical amount of debt.)

Don't Say

• 天文很好看 when describing the night sky — use 星空 for starry sky; 天文 is the scientific study, not the view itself

Origin & History

Compound of 天 (heaven/sky) + 文 (patterns/writing), originally referring to the patterns observed in the sky.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal