牵牛星 (Qiānniúxīng): Altair (the star); the Cowherd…

牵牛星 is Altair, paired with 织女星 (Vega) in the Cowherd-and-Weaving-Maid legend. They are the central image of 七夕 (Chinese Valentine's Day), when magpies are said to bridge the Milky Way so the lovers can meet.

In Pop Culture

牛郎织女 Niúláng Zhī nǚ

The Cowherd and the Weaving Maid

the central love legend behind Qixi Festival, where the two stars are personifications of the lovers

Stroke Order

牵 qiān

牛 niú

星 xīng

Related Words

牵牛子 qiānniúzǐ

morning glory seeds (TCM) / Pharbitidis Semen / seeds of Ipomoea nil / Pharbitis nil

牵牛花 qiānniúhuā #23,453

morning glory (flower) / Ipomoea nil

黄斑星天牛 huángbānxīngtiānniú

Asian longhorn beetle with yellow spots (Anoplophora nobilis) / wood-boring pest of poplars and willows

星虫 xīngchóng #93,988

sipunculid; peanut worm (phylum Sipuncula) / marine worm with an extendable proboscis; also called 沙虫 or 沙月子

影星 yǐngxīng HSK 6 #8,209

film star; movie star

歌星 gēxīng HSK 6 #9,129

singing star; pop singer; music star

牛郎 niúláng #25,215

cowherd / the Cowherd (figure in Chinese folk tale) / male escort

星系 xīngxì #5,132

galaxy / star system

牛肉面 niúròumiàn #84,388

beef noodle soup / beef noodles

牵 qiān HSK 6 #4,081

to lead (by the hand or rope); to pull / to involve; to implicate / to worry about; to miss