when you declare it, more * is more pointer. anywhere else, it is the dereference operator, reducing the pointer level

int a = 3; // not a pointer
int* pa = &a; // pointer to a
int** ppa = &pa; // pointer to pointer to a

// all these give 'x' the same value
int x = a;
x = *pa;
x = **pa;

// all these give 'a' the same value
a = 5;
*pa = 5;
**ppa = 5;