星

• Reading: ほし
• Romaji: hoshi
• Kanji breakdown: 星 (sei/shou/hoshi) — star
• Pronunciation: /ho.ɕi/

Meaning

Star; planet; heavenly body. Refers to luminous points visible in the night sky.

A noun referring to stars and celestial bodies. In Japanese, 星 can refer to both stars and planets visible to the naked eye. The word appears in many compounds such as 星空 (hoshizora, starry sky) and 流れ星 (nagareboshi, shooting star). Star-gazing has long been part of Japanese culture.

Examples

1. 夜空に星がたくさん見えます。 You can see many stars in the night sky.
2. 子どものとき星を見るのが好きでした。 When I was a child, I liked looking at the stars.
3. 今夜は星がきれいに光っています。 The stars are shining beautifully tonight.

Usage Guide

Context: nature, astronomy, night

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 星 combines 日 (sun/light) with 生 (life/birth), representing a point of light born in the sky.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal