asterisk / little star
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asterisk
A small, star-shaped written symbol (*), called an asterisk. It is often used for footnotes, as a placeholder, or for gender-inclusive forms.
Die mit einem Sternchen markierten Felder sind Pflichtfelder.
The fields marked with an asterisk are required fields.
'Sternchen' is the diminutive form of 'der Stern' (star). The ending '-chen' makes the word neuter, therefore 'das Sternchen', and literally means 'little star'.
Das Kind malte viele kleine Sternchen auf das Papier.
The child drew many little stars on the paper.
As a written symbol (*), 'Sternchen' (asterisk) is often used for footnotes or to mark required fields in forms. In modern written German, it is also used for gender-inclusive spelling.
Bitte füllen Sie alle Felder mit einem Sternchen aus.
Please fill in all fields marked with an asterisk.
When a person is called a 'Sternchen' (starlet), this is often common in media language. The tone can be appreciative, but sometimes it can also sound slightly condescending, because it refers to a young celebrity who is not yet established.
Die Boulevardpresse feiert die junge Sängerin als neues Pop-Sternchen.
The tabloid press is celebrating the young singer as a new pop starlet.
star / starling / cataract
'der Star' and 'das Sternchen' can both refer to people from the entertainment world. 'der Star' is already very well known and successful. 'das Sternchen' usually means a young or new person who is just getting attention and may later become a star. The word can sound friendly, but also somewhat condescending, because it feels smaller and less serious. Learners may confuse the words because both have to do with fame. For an established famous person, you say 'Star'; for a new talent, more likely 'Sternchen'.
In der neuen Serie spielt ein junges Sternchen aus Berlin mit.
A young starlet from Berlin appears in the new series.
Vor dem Wochenende ist der Star für ein Konzert in die Stadt gekommen.
Before the weekend, the star came to the city for a concert.