Definitions
(noun)
comet; broom
Etymology
Pictograph of a hand holding a broom.
About
The character 彗 is a pictograph of a hand holding a broom: the two upper components resembling 丰 represent bundles of branches or grass stalks, and 彐 is a stylized hand gripping them. It originally signified a traditional broom made from tied vegetation used for sweeping. Over time, the meaning shifted primarily to comet, often called a "broom star", because a comet's glowing tail visually echoes the bristly shape of a sweeping broom. While the original tool sense became largely obsolete in everyday language, the astronomical definition took over, applying the visual metaphor of a broom's tail to the celestial phenomenon.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
昨晚我看到了彗星。
彗星拖着长长的尾巴。
科学家正在研究这颗彗星。
彗星每七十六年回归一次。
通过望远镜观察彗星很有趣。
这颗彗星的轨道非常椭圆。
彗星主要由冰和尘埃组成。
天文学家预测彗星将在下周最亮。
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