<p>we may assumed the listener know what the utterance means, according to the context.</p>

<p>another approach is to pronounce 恆星 as 
<a href="http://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-mf/sound/hang4.Mp3" rel="noreferrer">hang1</a>　<a href="http://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-mf/sound/sing1.Mp3" rel="noreferrer">sing1</a></p>

<p>meanwhile, deliberately pronounce 行星 as <a href="http://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-mf/sound/haang4.Mp3" rel="noreferrer">haang4</a>　<a href="http://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-mf/sound/sing1.Mp3" rel="noreferrer">sing1</a></p>

<p>this one is what i learned in primary school, a long time ago.</p>

<p>actually, in cantonese, we pronounce 行 as <a href="http://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-mf/sound/haang4.Mp3" rel="noreferrer">haang4</a> in 行街, 行船.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-21T02:01:24.220Z
2016-12-21T02:01:24.220Z
水巷孑蠻
<p>It seems that the formal terms for "planet" (行星) and "star" (like the Sun) (恆星) are pronounced identically in Cantonese (both Jyutping: hang4 sing1). Given that these terms are often discussed together, and it is important that they not be confused, I was wonder how do Cantonese speakers manage to differentiate the two terms when speaking in an astronomical context.</p>

<cantonese>
Confusion between "planet" and "star" in Cantonese?
# Confusion between "planet" and "star" in Cantonese?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-12-20)

It seems that the formal terms for "planet" (行星) and "star" (like the Sun) (恆星) are pronounced identically in Cantonese (both Jyutping: hang4 sing1). Given that these terms are often discussed together, and it is important that they not be confused, I was wonder how do Cantonese speakers manage to differentiate the two terms when speaking in an astronomical context.

**Tags:** cantonese

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2016-12-21. Score: 4

we may assumed the listener know what the utterance means, according to the context.

another approach is to pronounce 恆星 as
[hang1](http://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-mf/sound/hang4.Mp3)　[sing1](http://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-mf/sound/sing1.Mp3)

meanwhile, deliberately pronounce 行星 as [haang4](http://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-mf/sound/haang4.Mp3)　[sing1](http://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-mf/sound/sing1.Mp3)

this one is what i learned in primary school, a long time ago.

actually, in cantonese, we pronounce 行 as [haang4](http://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-mf/sound/haang4.Mp3) in 行街, 行船.


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