大行星

dàxíngxīng
noun #36,609

Measure Word

Meanings

  1. 1 major planet
  2. 2 planet (as opposed to dwarf planet or asteroid)

Examples

Tàiyángxì yǒu bā dàxíngxīng.
The solar system has eight major planets.
Míngwángxīng yǐ bú zài bèi liè wéi dàxíngxīng.
Pluto is no longer classified as a major planet.

Tips

usage
大行星 distinguishes the eight 'real' planets from 小行星 (xiǎoxíngxīng — 'asteroid', literally 'small planet') and 行星 (ǎixíngxīng — 'dwarf planet'). Older Chinese texts say 大行星 (jiǔ dàxíngxīng) reflecting the pre-2006 nine-planet count that included Pluto.
memory
Read it as -行星 (dà-xíngxīng), 'big planet'. Note here is xíng, not háng — 行星 literally 'travelling star', a calque of the Greek 'planētēs' (wanderer).

Stroke Order

xíng
xīng