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牽牛星 (けんぎゅうせい) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

牽けん牛ぎゅう星せい

け

ん

ぎゅ

う

せ

い

Meanings

1

noun

Altair; Alpha Aquilae

astronomy

Astronomical term for the star Altair, the brightest star in the constellation Aquila. Also known as アルタイル.

See also: アルタイル

牽けん牛ぎゅう星せいは夏なつの大だい三さん角かくの一ひとつです。
Altair is one of the stars of the Summer Triangle.

七夕たなばたでは、牽けん牛ぎゅう星せいと織しょく女じょ星せいが年ねんに一いち度ど会あうとされています。

In the Tanabata legend, Altair and Vega are said to meet once a year.

Kanji

牽pull, tug, drag
牛cow
星star, spot, dot

Similar words

アルタイル
Katakana loanword for Altair, more common in modern astronomical contexts. 牽牛星 is the traditional Sino-Japanese name, often used in cultural or literary settings.
織しょく女じょ星せい
Vega, the star paired with Altair in the Tanabata legend.

Etymology

From Chinese 牽牛星 (literally 'the star of the cowherd'), referring to the mythological cowherd Hikoboshi in the Tanabata story.