流れ星（ながれぼし、nagareboshi）
- shooting star

流れ星 (nagareboshi) means "shooting star" or "meteor" in English. It refers to the streak of light that appears in the night sky when a meteoroid enters the Earth's atmosphere and burns up. The word directly translates to "flowing star." The "flowing" part describes the motion, while "star" refers to the celestial object. The word often evokes feelings of wonder and a sense of fleeting beauty.

⚫︎流れ星を見ました！ Translation: I saw a shooting star! ⚫︎ 流れ星に願い事をしました。 Translation: I made a wish on a shooting star.

You use 流れ星 when talking about shooting stars you've seen or when discussing the phenomenon. It's often used in casual conversations, but can also be used in more formal settings, depending on the context. You can use it in sentences expressing wonder, describing a wish made upon seeing one, or discussing the observation of meteor showers.

The word 流れ星 is most commonly written with the kanji 流れ and 星. - 流れ (nagare) means "flow" or "current." - 星 (hoshi) means "star." The reading is typically written in hiragana as ながれぼし. There are no significant variations in the okurigana.

There aren't many direct synonyms for 流れ星 in everyday conversation, as the phenomenon itself is unique. However, words like: ⚫︎ 流星 (ryuusei) is a more formal term for "meteor" or "shooting star". It uses the same kanji as the first part of 流れ星.

There are no specific antonyms, as 流れ星 describes a transient phenomenon. Words related to permanence or stability could be considered opposites in concept.

夏の夜空には、たくさんの流れ星が見えます。 ・Translation: Many shooting stars can be seen in the summer night sky. ・Explanation: This sentence describes the observation of numerous shooting stars, especially common during meteor showers that occur in the summer.

流れ星が光って、とても綺麗だった。 ・Translation: The shooting star shone, and it was very beautiful. ・Explanation: This sentence expresses the beauty and visual impact of a 流れ星.

The word 流れ星 is a compound word. It’s a combination of: ⚫︎ 流れ (nagare), meaning "flow" or "stream," describing the movement of the light. ⚫︎ 星 (hoshi), meaning "star," indicating the celestial object involved. The name directly reflects the visual experience of a star seemingly "flowing" across the sky.