Weather & Seasons
beginner天气与季节
Talk about the weather and seasons in Chinese — from daily forecasts and temperature to seasonal activities and clothing choices.
43 words15 phrases2 dialogues~25 min study time
Vocabulary
43 words — click any row for an example sentence
Weather Conditions
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 天气 | tiānqì | weather | noun |
| 晴天 | qíngtiān | sunny day | noun |
| 阴天 | yīntiān | cloudy day / overcast | noun |
| 下雨 | xià yǔ | to rain | verb |
| 下雪 | xià xuě | to snow | verb |
| 刮风 | guā fēng | to be windy | verb |
| 多云 | duōyún | cloudy | adjective |
| 雾 | wù | fog | noun |
| 雷 | léi | thunder | noun |
| 冰 | bīng | ice | noun |
| 暴风雨 | bàofēngyǔ | storm / tempest | noun |
| 台风 | táifēng | typhoon | noun |
Temperature
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 温度 | wēndù | temperature | noun |
| 热 | rè | hot | adjective |
| 冷 | lěng | cold | adjective |
| 凉快 | liángkuai | pleasantly cool | adjective |
| 暖和 | nuǎnhuo | warm | adjective |
| 度 | dù | degree (temperature) | measure word |
| 零下 | língxià | below zero | noun |
| 预报 | yùbào | forecast | noun |
Seasons
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 春天 | chūntiān | spring | noun |
| 夏天 | xiàtiān | summer | noun |
| 秋天 | qiūtiān | autumn / fall | noun |
| 冬天 | dōngtiān | winter | noun |
| 季节 | jìjié | season | noun |
| 春节 | Chūnjié | Spring Festival / Chinese New Year | noun |
Clothing for Weather
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 雨伞 | yǔsǎn | umbrella | noun |
| 外套 | wàitào | coat / jacket | noun |
| 围巾 | wéijīn | scarf | noun |
| 手套 | shǒutào | gloves | noun |
| 帽子 | màozi | hat | noun |
| 太阳镜 | tàiyángjìng | sunglasses | noun |
| 短袖 | duǎnxiù | short-sleeved shirt / T-shirt | noun |
| 毛衣 | máoyī | sweater | noun |
| 羽绒服 | yǔróngfú | down jacket | noun |
| 雨衣 | yǔyī | raincoat | noun |
Activities by Season
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 游泳 | yóuyǒng | to swim / swimming | verb |
| 滑雪 | huáxuě | to ski / skiing | verb |
| 赏花 | shǎng huā | to enjoy / admire flowers | verb |
| 放风筝 | fàng fēngzhēng | to fly a kite | verb |
| 野餐 | yěcān | picnic | noun |
| 堆雪人 | duī xuěrén | to build a snowman | verb |
| 晒太阳 | shài tàiyáng | to sunbathe / bask in the sun | verb |
Key Phrases
Essential expressions
今天天气真好！
Jīntiān tiānqì zhēn hǎo!
The weather is really nice today!
A common remark when greeting someone on a pleasant day.
明天会下雨吗？
Míngtiān huì xià yǔ ma?
Will it rain tomorrow?
Asking about the weather forecast before making plans.
气温越来越高了。
Qìwēn yuèláiyuè gāo le.
The temperature is getting higher and higher.
Commenting on warming weather as summer approaches.
今天风很大，出门要小心。
Jīntiān fēng hěn dà, chūmén yào xiǎoxīn.
It's very windy today, be careful when going out.
Warning someone about strong wind conditions.
我最喜欢秋天，不冷也不热。
Wǒ zuì xǐhuān qiūtiān, bù lěng yě bù rè.
I like autumn the most — not cold and not hot.
Expressing a preference for a season and explaining why.
冬天要多穿衣服，别感冒了。
Dōngtiān yào duō chuān yīfu, bié gǎnmào le.
Wear more clothes in winter, don't catch a cold.
A caring reminder commonly heard from family and friends.
春天是万物复苏的季节。
Chūntiān shì wànwù fùsū de jìjié.
Spring is the season when everything comes back to life.
A poetic way to describe the beginning of spring.
你带伞了吗？外面在下雨。
Nǐ dài sǎn le ma? Wàimiàn zài xià yǔ.
Did you bring an umbrella? It's raining outside.
Checking if someone is prepared for rainy weather.
夏天的晚上很闷热。
Xiàtiān de wǎnshang hěn mēnrè.
Summer evenings are very muggy.
Describing the uncomfortable heat and humidity of summer nights.
今年的冬天比去年冷多了。
Jīnnián de dōngtiān bǐ qùnián lěng duō le.
This year's winter is much colder than last year's.
Comparing this year's weather to the previous year.
这几天一直在下雨，什么时候能晴？
Zhè jǐ tiān yìzhí zài xià yǔ, shénme shíhou néng qíng?
It's been raining these past few days — when will it clear up?
Expressing frustration with continuous rainy weather.
天气预报说这个周末有暴风雨。
Tiānqì yùbào shuō zhège zhōumò yǒu bàofēngyǔ.
The weather forecast says there will be a storm this weekend.
Relaying information from a weather forecast.
一年四季，我觉得春天最美。
Yì nián sì jì, wǒ juéde chūntiān zuì měi.
Of the four seasons, I think spring is the most beautiful.
Sharing a personal opinion about seasons in conversation.
北方的冬天又冷又干燥。
Běifāng de dōngtiān yòu lěng yòu gānzào.
Winters in the north are both cold and dry.
Describing the typical climate of northern China.
南方的夏天又热又潮湿。
Nánfāng de xiàtiān yòu rè yòu cháoshī.
Summers in the south are both hot and humid.
Describing the typical climate of southern China.
Dialogues
Practice conversations
Checking the Weather
Two friends, Xiǎo Míng and Xiǎo Lì, are planning a weekend outing and checking the weather forecast.
Speaker A
小丽，这个周末你想出去玩吗？
Speaker B
好啊！去哪儿呢？你看天气预报了吗？
Speaker A
我看了，周六是晴天，温度大概二十五度。
Speaker B
太好了！那周日呢？
Speaker A
周日可能会下雨，还有点儿刮风。
Speaker B
那我们周六去公园野餐吧！
Speaker A
好主意！别忘了戴帽子和太阳镜。
Speaker B
没问题，我还会带雨伞，以防万一。
Cultural note: In China, checking the weather forecast (天气预报) is a daily habit for many people, especially older generations who often watch the CCTV weather report after the evening news. When making plans, Chinese friends commonly discuss the weather as a first step.
Talking About Seasons
Two classmates, Wáng Wěi and Lǐ Nà, chat about their favorite seasons during a break.
Speaker A
李娜，你最喜欢哪个季节？
Speaker B
我最喜欢春天，因为可以去赏花，天气也很暖和。你呢？
Speaker A
我喜欢冬天！我老家在东北，每年冬天我们一起堆雪人、滑雪。
Speaker B
东北的冬天很冷吧？零下多少度？
Speaker A
经常零下二十多度，要穿羽绒服、戴手套和围巾。
Speaker B
太冷了！我还是喜欢暖和的春天。
Cultural note: China's vast geography means people from different regions experience very different climates. Northeasterners (东北人) are known for their love of winter sports and tolerance of extreme cold, while southerners often find even mild cold hard to bear — a common topic of friendly banter.
Cultural Notes
Context that textbooks miss
Test Yourself
8 questions covering vocabulary, phrases, and dialogue comprehension.
Take the Weather & Seasons Quiz (8 questions)→HSK Level Overlap
43 of 43 words appear in HSK levels
Further Reading
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