<blockquote>
<p>一个[<strong>颗状星</strong>]的行星，不管其运行轨道是正圆还是偏长的椭圆，其围绕[<strong>恒星</strong>]的运动一定是周期性的，全无规律的运行是不可能的</p>
</blockquote>
<ul>
<li><p>一个[<strong>颗状星</strong>]的行星 = a [<strong>granular star</strong>]'s planet</p>
</li>
<li><p>其围绕[<strong>恒星</strong>]的运动一定是周期性的 = which motion around the [<strong>star</strong>] must be periodic</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>其(which) refers to 行星 (planet)</p>
<p>颗状星 and 恒星 are the same things in these sentences.</p>
<p>Most likely,  颗状星 is a typo, replace it with 恒星 would solve the mystery</p>
<blockquote>
<p>一个[<strong>恒星</strong>]的行星，不管其运行轨道是正圆还是偏长的椭圆，其围绕[<strong>恒星</strong>]的运动一定是周期性的，全无规律的运行是不可能的</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Actually, it is simpler to write:</p>
<p><strong>一颗行星</strong>，不管其运行轨道是正圆还是偏长的椭圆，其围绕恒星的运动一定是周期性的，全无规律的运行是不可能的</p>
<p>The term 行星 (planet) already indicated it belongs to a 恒星 (star), no need to mention &quot;a star's&quot; in &quot;a planet&quot;</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-05-02T07:31:08.977Z
2022-05-02T07:41:22.570Z
2022-05-02T07:41:22.570Z
Tang Ho
<p>I don't think it's a typo.</p>
<p><strong>颗</strong> in Chinese has a meaning of <em>small and round stuff</em>, such as a small and round particle, so <strong>颗状星</strong> means <em>a star like a small and round particle</em>.</p>
<p>According to the context, it says <em>the planet's motion around the sun must be periodic</em>, so <strong>颗状星的行星</strong> just means a planet, and <strong>颗状星</strong> just emphasizes the condition of planet's periodic motion, that is, if the planet is small enough compared to the sun, the planet's motion must be periodic.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-05-02T08:12:49.593Z
2022-05-02T08:12:49.593Z
Z-Y.L
<p>颗状星 is definitely a typing mistake, I have read threebodyproblems many times, and I'm sure that there's no such thing.
And in my whole life, I have never heard anyone using that weird word.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-05-03T03:22:20.647Z
2022-05-03T03:22:20.647Z
Rafael_DD
<p>According to the answer given on 知乎.com, &quot;一个颗状星的行星，不管其运行轨道....&quot; is a typeset mistake. The correct sentence is &quot;一个恒星的行星，不管其运行轨道……&quot;.</p>
<p>Note, 行星 (planet, such as earth, moon) is a star circling the 恒星 (fixed star - sun, for instance) in a regular path and speed.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-05-02T22:40:15.210Z
2022-05-02T22:40:15.210Z
r13
<blockquote>
<p>这个概念在汪淼的头脑中萦绕。为什么那个世界的太阳运行会没有规律？<strong>一个颗状星的行星</strong>，不管其运行轨道是正圆还是偏长的椭圆，其围绕恒星的运动一定是周期性的，全无规律的运行是不可能的……汪淼突然对自己很恼火，他使劲地摇头想赶走头脑中的这一切，不过是个游戏嘛，但他失败了。<br />
<sub>刘慈欣,《三体》 (see e.g. <a href="https://www.sohu.com/a/201784612_99927670" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this</a>)</sub></p>
</blockquote>
<p>I'm not sure how to interpret 一个颗状星的行星 in the above.  Google Translate gives me &quot;a star-shaped planet&quot;.  Although the context is suggesting a meaning more along the lines of &quot;a satellite-state planet.&quot;  Or maybe it's just a typo.</p>
<p><strong>Question</strong>: How should I interpret 一个颗状星的行星?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-05-03T00:38:52.673Z
Some versions of the book get this correct, that is "一个恒星的卫星"
lilysirius
<meaning-in-context>
How should I interpret 一个颗状星的行星?
# How should I interpret 一个颗状星的行星?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-05-02)

> 这个概念在汪淼的头脑中萦绕。为什么那个世界的太阳运行会没有规律？**一个颗状星的行星**，不管其运行轨道是正圆还是偏长的椭圆，其围绕恒星的运动一定是周期性的，全无规律的运行是不可能的……汪淼突然对自己很恼火，他使劲地摇头想赶走头脑中的这一切，不过是个游戏嘛，但他失败了。  
> 刘慈欣,《三体》 (see e.g. [this](https://www.sohu.com/a/201784612_99927670))

I'm not sure how to interpret 一个颗状星的行星 in the above. Google Translate gives me "a star-shaped planet". Although the context is suggesting a meaning more along the lines of "a satellite-state planet." Or maybe it's just a typo.

**Question**: How should I interpret 一个颗状星的行星?

**Tags:** meaning-in-context

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Some versions of the book get this correct, that is "一个恒星的卫星"  

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## 4 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2022-05-02. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

According to the answer given on 知乎.com, "一个颗状星的行星，不管其运行轨道...." is a typeset mistake. The correct sentence is "一个恒星的行星，不管其运行轨道……".

Note, 行星 (planet, such as earth, moon) is a star circling the 恒星 (fixed star - sun, for instance) in a regular path and speed.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2022-05-02. Score: 2

> 一个[**颗状星**]的行星，不管其运行轨道是正圆还是偏长的椭圆，其围绕[**恒星**]的运动一定是周期性的，全无规律的运行是不可能的

* 一个[**颗状星**]的行星 = a [**granular star**]'s planet
* 其围绕[**恒星**]的运动一定是周期性的 = which motion around the [**star**] must be periodic

其(which) refers to 行星 (planet)

颗状星 and 恒星 are the same things in these sentences.

Most likely, 颗状星 is a typo, replace it with 恒星 would solve the mystery

> 一个[**恒星**]的行星，不管其运行轨道是正圆还是偏长的椭圆，其围绕[**恒星**]的运动一定是周期性的，全无规律的运行是不可能的

Actually, it is simpler to write:

**一颗行星**，不管其运行轨道是正圆还是偏长的椭圆，其围绕恒星的运动一定是周期性的，全无规律的运行是不可能的

The term 行星 (planet) already indicated it belongs to a 恒星 (star), no need to mention "a star's" in "a planet"


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### Answer by username_3 on 2022-05-02. Score: 1

I don't think it's a typo.

**颗** in Chinese has a meaning of *small and round stuff*, such as a small and round particle, so **颗状星** means *a star like a small and round particle*.

According to the context, it says *the planet's motion around the sun must be periodic*, so **颗状星的行星** just means a planet, and **颗状星** just emphasizes the condition of planet's periodic motion, that is, if the planet is small enough compared to the sun, the planet's motion must be periodic.


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### Answer by username_4 on 2022-05-03. Score: 0

颗状星 is definitely a typing mistake, I have read threebodyproblems many times, and I'm sure that there's no such thing.
And in my whole life, I have never heard anyone using that weird word.


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