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零星 (líng xīng) — Chinese word meaning

HSK 7

零星 (líng xīng) is a Chinese word: sporadic. This page shows its pinyin, translation, example sentences, character breakdown, decomposition, and HSK level.

Meaning of 零星

形 xíng adjective

sporadic

零星的雨点开始落下

líng xīng de yǔ diǎn kāi shǐ luò xià

Sporadic raindrops began to fall

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Word breakdown

零 líng — fragmentary, scattered, odd bits

Words with this character (8)
  • 1 零下 líng xià — below zero HSK 4
    • 零 zero (the reference point on the temperature scale)
    • 下 below (indicating position beneath zero)
    Example

    今天的气温是零下五度。

    jīn tiān de qì wēn shì líng xià wǔ dù

    Today's temperature is five degrees below zero.

  • 2 零花钱 líng huā qián — pocket money HSK 4
    • 零 small, petty, miscellaneous
    • 花 to spend
    • 钱 money
    Example

    妈妈每个月给我一百元零花钱。

    mā ma měi gè yuè gěi wǒ yì bǎi yuán líng huā qián

    Mom gives me 100 yuan pocket money every month.

  • 3 零钱 líng qián — small change HSK 4
    • 零 small, fractional
    • 钱 money
    Example

    你有零钱吗？

    nǐ yǒu líng qián ma

    Do you have small change?

  • 4 零食 líng shí — snacks HSK 4
    • 零 fragmentary, scattered (referring to small portions)
    • 食 food
    Example

    她买了很多零食准备看电影。

    tā mǎi le hěn duō líng shí zhǔn bèi kàn diàn yǐng

    She bought a lot of snacks to prepare for watching a movie.

  • 5 孤零零 gū líng líng — all alone HSK 7
    • 孤 alone, solitary
    • 零 scattered, fragmentary (intensifies isolation)
    • 零 scattered, fragmentary (reduplication for emphasis)
    Example

    孩子孤零零地坐在公园的长椅上。

    hái zi gū líng líng de zuò zài gōng yuán de cháng yǐ shàng

    The child sat all alone on the park bench.

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  • 6 零件 líng jiàn — part, component HSK 7
    • 零 spare, fragmentary (indicating individual pieces)
    • 件 piece, item (classifier/noun for individual parts)
    Example

    这个机器需要更换一个零件。

    zhè ge jī qì xū yào gēng huàn yí ge líng jiàn

    This machine needs to have a part replaced.

  • 7 零售 líng shòu — retail HSK 7
    • 零 fragmentary, scattered (indicating small quantities)
    • 售 sell
    Example

    这家公司主要做零售业务。

    zhè jiā gōng sī zhǔ yào zuò líng shòu yè wù

    This company mainly does retail business.

  • 8 零碎 líng suì — fragmentary, scattered, trivial HSK 7
    • 零 scattered, fragmentary, not whole
    • 碎 broken into pieces, fragmented
    Example

    桌子上放着一些零碎的东西。

    zhuō zi shàng fàng zhe yì xiē líng suì de dōng xi

    There are some odds and ends on the table.

星 xīng — star-like points, suggesting scattered distribution

Words with this character (13)
  • 1 星期 xīng qī — week HSK 1
    • 星 star (from astronomical origins of the seven-day week)
    • 期 period (time cycle)
    Example

    一个星期有七天。

    yí gè xīng qī yǒu qī tiān

    One week has seven days.

  • 2 星期天 xīng qī tiān — Sunday HSK 1
    • 星 star (celestial body); part of the compound meaning 'week'
    • 期 period, cycle; completes the word for 'week'
    • 天 day; specifies Sunday (the day of rest)
    Example

    星期天我们去公园。

    xīng qī tiān wǒ men qù gōng yuán

    On Sunday, we go to the park.

  • 3 星期日 xīng qī rì — Sunday HSK 1
    • 星 star; part of 'week' (星期), relating to celestial bodies
    • 期 period; combined with 星 to form 'week'
    • 日 sun/day; designates Sunday (the sun's day)
    Example

    他每个星期日都休息。

    tā měi ge xīng qī rì dōu xiū xi

    He rests every Sunday.

  • 4 星星 xīng xing — star HSK 4
    • 星 star (base meaning)
    • 星 reduplication for colloquial, affectionate tone
    Example

    天上的星星很亮。

    tiān shàng de xīng xing hěn liàng

    The stars in the sky are very bright.

  • 5 明星 míng xīng — star, celebrity HSK 5
    • 明 bright, famous, prominent
    • 星 star (celestial body, metaphor for celebrity)
    Example

    她是一位著名的电影明星。

    tā shì yí wèi zhù míng de diàn yǐng míng xīng

    She is a famous movie star.

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  • 6 卫星 wèi xīng — satellite HSK 7
    • 卫 guard, protect (indicates orbiting/guarding around a celestial body)
    • 星 star, celestial body (refers to an object in space)
    Example

    中国发射了新的通信卫星。

    Zhōng guó fā shè le xīn de tōng xìn wèi xīng

    China launched a new communications satellite.

  • 7 外星人 wài xīng rén — alien HSK 7
    • 外 outer, outside, beyond
    • 星 star, planet
    • 人 person, being
    Example

    我相信外星人真的存在。

    wǒ xiāng xìn wài xīng rén zhēn de cún zài

    I believe aliens really exist.

  • 8 恒星 héng xīng — star HSK 7
    • 恒 constant, fixed, permanent
    • 星 star, celestial body
    Example

    太阳是一颗恒星。

    tài yáng shì yī kē héng xīng

    The Sun is a star.

  • 9 星座 xīng zuò — constellation; zodiac sign HSK 7
    • 星 star
    • 座 grouping; collection
    Example

    你的星座是什么？

    nǐ de xīng zuò shì shén me

    What's your zodiac sign?

  • 10 星球 xīng qiú — planet HSK 7
    • 星 star, celestial (indicating astronomical nature)
    • 球 sphere, globe (referring to round shape of celestial bodies)
    Example

    地球是一个美丽的星球。

    dì qiú shì yí ge měi lì de xīng qiú

    Earth is a beautiful planet.

  • 11 星系 xīng xì — galaxy HSK 7
    Example

    宇宙中有无数个星系。

    yǔ zhòu zhōng yǒu wú shù gè xīng xì

    There are countless galaxies in the universe.

  • 12 星级 xīng jí — star rating HSK 7
    • 星 star (as in rating stars)
    • 级 grade, class, level (classification system)
    Example

    这家酒店是五星级的。

    zhè jiā jiǔ diàn shì wǔ xīng jí de

    This hotel is five-star.

  • 13 行星 xíng xīng — planet HSK 7
    • 行 moving, traveling (distinguishes planets as 'wandering stars')
    • 星 star, celestial body
    Example

    地球是太阳系的第三颗行星。

    dì qiú shì tài yáng xì de dì sān kē xíng xīng

    Earth is the third planet in the solar system.

Structure & writing
1 零 líng — fragmentary; scattered; small in number (opposite of 整)

零 is not used as a component in any other character.

consists of

1.1 雨 yǔ — rain (water droplets falling from clouds)
雨 is a component in 14 characters
HSK 1
雪 xuě snow (white crystalline precipitation, typically hexagonal, formed when water vapor freezes below 0°C) 零 líng fragmentary; scattered; small in number (opposite of 整)
HSK 3
需 xū to need, to require
HSK 5
漏 lòu to drip, seep, or fall through a hole or crack 雾 wù fog; mist (tiny water droplets suspended near the ground when temperature drops) 震 zhèn to shake or vibrate violently
HSK 6
雷 léi thunder (the loud sound produced when two oppositely charged clouds discharge electricity) 露 lù dew; water droplets condensed on surfaces near the ground
HSK 7
雹 báo hail; balls or chunks of ice formed by condensation in the atmosphere, often falling with heavy rain, causing damage 霉 méi (of clothes, food, etc.) to become moldy from dampness and heat 霍 huò (lit.) suddenly; swiftly 霜 shuāng frost (white ice crystals formed on surfaces near the ground when temperature drops below 0°C) 霞 xiá rosy clouds; colorful glow in the sky at sunrise or sunset
Show more HSK 7 characters (+1)
霸 bà leader of a feudal alliance in ancient China
1.2 令 lìng — order; command (from superior to subordinate)
令 is a component in 11 characters
HSK 1
冷 lěng cold; low in temperature (opposite of 热) 零 líng fragmentary; scattered; small in number (opposite of 整)
HSK 3
邻 lín neighbor; neighboring household
HSK 4
命 mìng life; the living force of organisms 龄 líng age (in years)
HSK 5
铃 líng bell or buzzer (metal sound-making device) 领 lǐng neck; throat
HSK 6
怜 lián to pity, to sympathize
HSK 7
岭 lǐng mountain with a path over its summit 拎 līn to carry (something) in one's hand 聆 líng (lit.) to listen; to listen attentively

Stroke order

2 星 xīng — stars twinkling in the night sky
星 is a component in 3 characters
HSK 4
醒 xǐng to sober up; to regain consciousness after intoxication, anesthesia, or coma
HSK 7
猩 xīng orangutan or chimpanzee; large ape with reddish-brown or black fur, long forelimbs, no tail, native to Sumatra and similar regions 腥 xīng raw meat; meat and fish foods

consists of

2.1 日 rì — the sun
日 is a component in 67 characters
HSK 1
早 zǎo morning 时 shí time; a relatively long period of time during which matter continuously changes or develops 明 míng bright; light (opposite of "dark") 星 xīng stars twinkling in the night sky 昨 zuó yesterday
Show more HSK 1 characters (+2)
晚 wǎn evening; night 间 jiān between; the space where two periods of time or things meet
HSK 2
晴 qíng clear, sunny (of sky or weather; opposite of overcast) 最 zuì most; -est (superlative degree)
HSK 3
冒 mào to rise; to emerge; to come out 复 fù to repeat; to do more than once 旧 jiù old; outdated (opposite of '新') 易 yì easy; not difficult (opposite of 难) 照 zhào (of light) shine on an object
Show more HSK 3 characters (+4)
者 zhě particle after adjectives or verbs indicating a person or thing with that quality or doing that action 阳 yáng yang, one of the two opposing forces in Chinese philosophy (opposite of 阴) 音 yīn sound; pronunciation 香 xiāng fragrant; pleasant-smelling (opposite of 臭)
HSK 4
厚 hòu thick (of a flat object, opposite of 薄) 晨 chén early morning; dawn; sometimes broadly referring to the period from midnight to noon 普 pǔ universal; widespread 景 jǐng situation; circumstance 暂 zàn brief, short in time (opposite of 久)
Show more HSK 4 characters (+2)
暑 shǔ hot, sweltering (opposite of 寒) 暖 nuǎn warm, neither cold nor hot
HSK 5
旦 dàn dawn; early morning 昆 kūn (class.) elder brother 映 yìng to reflect (an image via light) 显 xiǎn visible; obvious; evident 晒 shài （of the sun）to shine on something
Show more HSK 5 characters (+4)
智 zhì wise; intelligent 暗 àn dark, dim (opposite of 明) 暴 bào sudden and violent; fierce and swift 替 tì to replace; to substitute
HSK 6
宴 yàn to host a banquet; to feast together 旬 xún a period of ten days; a month has three such periods: upper, middle, and lower 旱 hàn drought; dry (opposite of 涝) 昂 áng to raise high, to hold up 晕 yūn to faint; to lose consciousness
Show more HSK 6 characters (+3)
晰 xī clear, distinct 晾 liàng to dry clothes in the sun or in a ventilated place 踏 tà to step on; to go to a place in person
HSK 7
嗜 shì to love, to have a particular fondness for 塌 tā to collapse, cave in 捏 niē to pinch (with thumb and fingers) 旨 zhǐ delicious; tasty 旭 xù (lit.) the first rays of the morning sun
Show more HSK 7 characters (+20)
旷 kuàng empty and vast; open and spacious 旺 wàng prosperous; flourishing; (of fire) blazing fiercely 昌 chāng prosperous; flourishing 昏 hūn dusk; twilight 昔 xī the past; former times (opposite of 今) 昧 mèi confused; ignorant 晃 huàng to shake, to sway 晋 jìn to advance, move forward or upward 晓 xiǎo dawn, daybreak 晤 wù to meet, to see (someone) 晶 jīng bright; luminous 暄 xuān (lit.) warm (of sunlight); pleasantly warm 暧 ài (lit.) dim, obscure (of sunlight) 暮 mù dusk, the time of sunset 曙 shǔ dawn; daybreak 曝 bào used in "曝光": ① (photography) exposure of film or photosensitive paper to light; ② (figurative) to expose hidden matters to public 莫 mò (lit.) no one; nothing 蹋 tà to tread on; to step on 隙 xì crack; crevice 鲁 lǔ dull; stupid
2.2 生 shēng — to be born; to give birth
生 is a component in 7 characters
HSK 1
星 xīng stars twinkling in the night sky
HSK 2
姓 xìng surname; family name
HSK 4
性 xìng character; temperament; disposition
HSK 5
胜 shèng to defeat an opponent or enemy
HSK 6
甥 shēng nephew (sister's son)
HSK 7
牲 shēng livestock (cattle, horses, donkeys, mules); in ancient times, sacrificial animals (cattle, sheep, pigs) 隆 lóng grand; magnificent

Stroke order