Definition
扫帚星 literally means 'broom star' — the Chinese folk name for a comet, named for its broom-like tail. In informal usage, it's also a derogatory term for a person (especially a woman) who is believed to bring bad luck, similar to 'jinx' or 'bad omen' in English. The two senses are very different in register: the astronomical sense is neutral, while the personal sense is strongly insulting and carries superstitious overtones. Be careful never to use this word to describe a person unless you intend to offend.
n.
(astronomy) comet(derogatory, figurative) a person (especially a woman) who brings bad luckjinx
Examples
- 扫帚星。Kēxuéjiā zuìjìn fāxiàn le yì kē xīn de sǎo.Scientists recently discovered a new comet.
- ，，扫帚星。Zìcóng tā lái le yǐhòu, wǒmen duì jiù méi yíng guò, dàjiā dōu jiào tā sǎo.Ever since he came, our team hasn't won a single game — everyone calls him a jinx.
- 扫帚星。Gǔdài rén rènwéi sǎo chūxiàn shì zāinàn de yùzhào.Ancient people believed that the appearance of a comet was an omen of disaster.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.