星（ほし、hoshi）
- star

The Japanese word 星 星 (読み方：ほし, *hoshi*) primarily means "star" in English. It refers to the celestial bodies that appear as points of light in the night sky. The word can also metaphorically represent something bright, outstanding, or a person of great talent or fame. 星 星 can be used both literally and figuratively.

⚫︎ 夜空にはたくさんの星が見えます。 Translation: I can see many stars in the night sky. ⚫︎ 彼女はチームの星だ。 Translation: She is the star of the team.

⚫︎ Use 星 星 to describe actual stars visible at night. ⚫︎ Use 星 星 to talk about someone who is a star, like a famous person or a high achiever. ⚫︎ It is appropriate in a wide variety of contexts, from everyday conversation to more formal discussions.

⚫︎ Kanji: 星 星 ⚫︎ Hiragana: ほし ⚫︎ Katakana: There's no katakana usage for this word. ⚫︎ Okurigana: No variations in okurigana. The kanji 星 星 itself is sufficient.

⚫︎ 恒星 (*kousei*) - fixed star (used in scientific contexts). ⚫︎ スター (*sutaa*) - star (borrowed from English, often used for celebrities).

There aren't direct antonyms for 星 星. The concept of "no star" or "darkness" can be conveyed with different vocabulary.

夏の夜には、たくさんの星が見えます。 ・Translation: In summer nights, you can see many stars. ・Explanation: This sentence uses 星 星 to describe the stars visible in the summer night sky.

彼はサッカー界の星として知られています。 ・Translation: He is known as a star in the soccer world. ・Explanation: This sentence uses 星 星 figuratively to refer to a famous soccer player.

The origin of 星 星 is not precisely known. However, it's considered to be an indigenous Japanese word (a *yamato kotoba*) used for a celestial body that shines.