ɪn tʃˈaɪnə, ðə pˈiːpəlz lˌɪbɚɹˈeɪʃən ˈɑːɹmi ˈæstɹənˌɔːt kˈɔːɹ ˈæstɹənˌɔːts ænd ðɛɹ fˈɔːɹən kˈaʊntɚpˌɑːɹts ɑːɹ ˈɔːl əfˈɪʃəli kˈɔːld hˌæŋʃiənjuːˈɑːn, mˈiːnɪŋ "hˈɛvən nˈævɪɡˌeɪɾɚ" ɔːɹ lˈɪɾɚɹəli "hˈɛvənsˈeɪlɪŋ stˈæf".
In China, the People's Liberation Army Astronaut Corps astronauts and their foreign counterparts are all officially called hángtiānyuán (, meaning "heaven navigator" or literally "heaven-sailing staff").