陨石

• Pinyin: yǔn shí
• Hanzi breakdown: 陨 = 阝+ 员 (to fall from the sky); 石 = 石 (stone/rock)

Meaning

Meteorite. A rock or mineral mass that has fallen to Earth from outer space after surviving atmospheric entry.

Distinct from 流星 (meteor/shooting star, which burns up) and 小行星 (asteroid, still in space). Meteorites are studied in geology and astronomy and can be extremely valuable.

Examples

1. 博物馆展出了一块重达两吨的巨型陨石，吸引了大批参观者。 The museum is exhibiting a massive meteorite weighing two tons, drawing large crowds of visitors.
2. 科学家通过分析陨石的成分，推断出太阳系早期的状态。 By analyzing the meteorite’s composition, scientists inferred what the early solar system was like.
3. 那个村庄附近发现了一块罕见的铁陨石。 A rare iron meteorite was found near that village.

Usage Guide

Context: science, astronomy, geology

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这块陨石在降落时产生了剧烈爆炸，震动了方圆数十公里。(This meteorite caused a violent explosion upon impact, shaking an area of dozens of kilometers.)
• 陨石坑的分布揭示了地球历史上曾遭受的天体撞击。(The distribution of meteor craters reveals the celestial impacts Earth has suffered throughout its history.)

Don't Say

• 流星 when referring to a rock on the ground — 流星 burns up in the atmosphere; once it lands, it is 陨石

Origin & History

陨 (to fall from the sky) + 石 (stone)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal