Weather and Seasons
Talking about weather and seasons is a great way to engage in everyday conversations in Chinese. In this article, we will explore key vocabulary and phrases to describe different weather conditions and seasons.
Weather Vocabulary
Here are some common words to describe the weather in Mandarin:
| 天气 | tiān qì | Weather |
| 晴天 | qíng tiān | Sunny day |
| 阴天 | yīn tiān | Cloudy day |
| 下雨 | xià yǔ | Rain |
| 下雪 | xià xuě | Snow |
| 颳風 | guā fēng | Windy |
| 冷 | lěng | Cold |
| 熱 | rè | Hot |
| 雾 | wù | Fog |
| 雷雨 | léi yǔ | Thunderstorm |
Common Weather Phrases
These phrases will help you talk about the weather in Chinese:
| 今天天氣怎麼樣？ | jīn tiān tiān qì zěn me yàng? | How’s the weather today? |
| 今天天氣很好。 | jīn tiān tiān qì hěn hǎo. | The weather is great today. |
| 明天會下雨嗎？ | míng tiān huì xià yǔ ma? | Will it rain tomorrow? |
| 外面很冷。 | wài miàn hěn lěng. | It’s very cold outside. |
| 夏天很熱。 | xià tiān hěn rè. | It’s very hot in the summer. |
| 今天會刮風嗎？ | jīn tiān huì guā fēng ma? | Will it be windy today? |
| 外面有霧。 | wài miàn yǒu wù. | It’s foggy outside. |
| 冬天會下雪。 | dōng tiān huì xià xuě. | It snows in winter. |
| 天氣預報說今天會有雷雨。 | tiān qì yù bào shuō jīn tiān huì yǒu léi yǔ. | The weather forecast says there will be thunderstorms today. |
| 春天的天氣很舒服。 | chūn tiān de tiān qì hěn shū fú. | Spring weather is very comfortable. |
Seasons Vocabulary
| 春天 | chūn tiān | Spring | March - May |
| 夏天 | xià tiān | Summer | June - August |
| 秋天 | qiū tiān | Autumn | September - November |
| 冬天 | dōng tiān | Winter | December - February |
Describing Seasons in Sentences
Practice using these sentences to talk about different seasons in Chinese:
Weather Idioms and Expressions
| Idiom | Pinyin | Usage | Literal Translation |
| 風和日麗 | fēng hé rì lì | Describes a pleasant and sunny day | The wind and the sun are harmonious |
| 雷聲大雨點小 | léi shēng dà yǔ diǎn xiǎo | Used to describe a lot of talk but little action | Thunder is loud, but the rain is light |
| 未雨綢繆 | wèi yǔ chóu móu | A metaphor meaning to prepare in advance | Prepare before the rain comes |
| 雨後彩虹 | yǔ hòu cǎi hóng | Describes hope after difficulties | Rainbow after the rain |
| 風調雨順 | fēng tiáo yǔ shùn | Describes ideal conditions, often used for smooth processes | Wind and rain are favorable |
| 四季如春 | sì jì rú chūn | Describes pleasant weather that feels like spring year-round | The four seasons are like spring |
| 秋高氣爽 | qiū gāo qì shuǎng | Describes cool and refreshing autumn weather | Autumn is high, and the air is refreshing |
| 春暖花開 | chūn nuǎn huā kāi | Describes the beauty and renewal that comes with spring | Spring is warm, and flowers bloom |
| 雪中送炭 | xuě zhōng sòng tàn | Used metaphorically for giving help during difficult times | Sending charcoal in the snow |