Weather & seasons in Chinese: The ultimate vocabulary guide

Whether you’re planning a trip to China or simply want to engage in everyday conversation with Chinese speakers, learning how to talk about the weather in Mandarin Chinese is an invaluable skill.

Weather plays a big role in our daily lives, affecting our plans, our moods, and even our health. As you progress in your Chinese language journey, you’ll find that weather-related vocabulary is essential for many common interactions.

While some might dismiss weather talk as trivial small talk, it actually serves as an excellent icebreaker in Chinese culture. It’s a universal topic that everyone can relate to, regardless of their background or profession, making it perfect for starting conversations with new friends or locals during your travels.

Beyond casual conversations, being able to discuss the weather in Chinese will help you:

• Understand weather forecasts on Chinese news channels or apps
• Ask about local conditions when planning activities
• Express how weather affects your daily life or mood
• Learn about the diverse climates across China’s vast territory
• Many Chinese chengyus (idioms) use weather expressions

Are you ready to expand your Chinese vocabulary with some weatherproof terms? Let’s jump right in and learn all things rain, heat, wind, and fire!

Table of contents

• How to actually say weather in Chinese
• Talking about weather in the Chinese language
  • Everyday weather terms in Chinese
  • Extreme weather terms in Chinese
• Discussing seasons in Chinese
  • Talking about spring in Chinese
  • Talking about summer in Chinese
  • Talking about fall in Chinese
  • Talking about winter in Chinese
  • Talking about the temperature in Chinese
  • Talking about climate change in Chinese
• Chinese Solar Terms: the traditional way of marking the changes of seasons and weather
• Chinese idioms and commonly used phrases about seasons and weather
• Putting your Chinese weather knowledge into practice

How to actually say weather in Chinese

There are two main terms you’ll need to know when it comes to saying “weather” in Chinese:

• 天气 (tiān qì)
• 气候 (qì hòu)

For Mandarin learners who have been studying for a while, you might recognize that 天 (tiān) means “sky” and 气 (qì) means “air” or “energy.” Together, 天气 literally translates to “sky air” and is the most common way to refer to the weather.

On the other hand, 气候 is used to describe both weather and climate. The difference between weather and climate in Chinese depends on the context or the specific time frame being discussed. For example, if you want to talk about today’s weather, then you would use 天气. But if you’re discussing the general climate of a region, you’d use 气候.

To ask about the weather, Chinese speakers typically use “天气怎么样?” (tiān qì zěn me yàng?), which translates to “How is the weather?”. You might already be familiar with this if you’ve already studied the Chinese sentence structure, as this is one of the most common questions in Chinese.

Talking about weather in the Chinese language

Let’s explore common Chinese expressions for discussing everyday and extreme weather conditions. Although we hope you don’t need to use the extreme weather event vocabulary too frequently, it’s important to understand this popular conversation topic well. These vocabulary words and phrases will prepare you to handle almost any weather-related situation in Chinese.

Everyday weather terms in Chinese

From sunny days to rainy afternoons, everyday weather talk is a staple of casual conversation in Chinese. We’ll introduce you to essential vocabulary for describing common weather, temperatures, and seasonal changes.

Phrases using everyday weather terms in Chinese

Now that you’re familiar with the basic weather vocabulary, let’s put these words into action. We’ll present a variety of useful phrases and sentence structures that you can use to discuss everyday weather conditions, ask about the forecast, or comment on how the weather affects your plans.

Extreme weather terms in Chinese

While we all hope for pleasant weather, it’s equally important to be prepared for more severe weather conditions. In this section, we’ll cover vocabulary related to extreme weather events like typhoons, floods, and tropical storms. These terms will help you understand weather warnings and discuss significant weather events in Chinese.

Phrases using extreme weather in Chinese

Let’s explore how to use these extreme weather words in context. Here are practical phrases you can use to describe severe weather conditions, understand weather alerts, and discuss the impact of extreme weather on daily life in Chinese-speaking regions.

Discussing seasons in Chinese

Seasons play a significant role in Chinese culture, influencing everything from Chinese festivals to poetry. So, we’ll take a look at how to talk about the four seasons in Mandarin, giving you plenty of key vocabulary words that will help you describe seasonal changes, activities, and weather patterns associated with each time of the year.

Talking about spring in Chinese

Spring in China is a time of renewal, marked by blooming flowers and warming temperatures. Let’s take a look at essential vocabulary for describing spring weather, natural phenomena, and traditional spring activities.

Phrases about spring in Chinese

Let’s bring our spring vocabulary to life with some practical phrases:

Talking about summer in Chinese

Summer in China brings its own unique blend of heat, festivals, and seasonal treats. The Chinese summer is extremely hot, with Chongqing, Wuhan, and Nanjing known as the “Three Furnaces of China” 三大火炉 (sān dà huǒ lú) due to their scorching hot temperatures. These summer vocabulary words will help you describe summer weather, activities, and sensations in Chinese.

Phrases about summer in Chinese

Now that we’ve covered summer vocabulary, let’s see how to use the words in context. These are some common expressions that you might find yourself using if you visit China in the summer:

Talking about fall in Chinese

As the leaves turn golden and the air grows crisp, fall in China offers its own charm. Below, you’ll find a list of essential Mandarin vocabulary for describing fall weather, seasonal changes, and traditional activities. These words will help you paint a picture of what it’s like to spend the fall in China:

Phrases about fall in Chinese

Let’s put our fall vocabulary into practice with some useful phrases:

Talking about winter in Chinese

Winter in China can range from mild to severe, depending on the region. Southern China has mild winters, while Northern China has extremely harsh winters, with the Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival attracting millions of visitors every winter thanks to its impressive ice sculptures.

Phrases about winter in Chinese

Time to warm up with some winter phrases! Let’s explore common expressions used to talk about cold weather, winter activities, and holiday preparations. These phrases will help you enjoy winter conversations and celebrations in Chinese:

Talking about the temperature in Chinese

Knowing how to discuss the temperature in Chinese is essential for everyday conversations and weather reports. Let’s start with vocabulary words and phrases for asking about the temperature, expressing how you feel in different weather conditions, and discussing weather forecasts:

Talking about climate change in Chinese

Climate change is a global concern, and being able to discuss it in Chinese is increasingly important. In this section, you’ll find vocabulary words for describing environmental phenomena, discussing the causes and effects of climate change, and talking about conservation efforts.

Phrases about climate change in Chinese

With our climate change vocabulary in hand, let’s look at how to use these terms in sentences and conversations:

Chinese Solar Terms: the traditional way of marking the changes of seasons and weather

The Chinese Solar Terms, known as 二十四节气 (èr shí sì jié qì), are an ancient Chinese calendar system that divides the complete circle of the sun into 24 periods based on the sun’s position in the zodiac. Dating back over 2,000 years, this system was crucial for agricultural planning and daily life in ancient China.

Each solar term, lasting about 15 days, marks subtle changes in weather, temperature, and natural phenomena. They guide farming activities, cultural celebrations, and even dietary habits. Despite modernization, solar terms are still important parts of Chinese culture, influencing festivals, traditional medicine, and folklore.

The solar terms reflect the Chinese philosophy of harmony between humans and nature. They’re more nuanced than the four-season model, capturing the gradual shifts in climate throughout the year.

Chinese idioms and commonly used phrases about seasons and weather

Many Chinese idioms, or Chinese chengyu, draw inspiration from weather and seasonal changes. These four-character expressions capture centuries of wisdom, offering nuggets of Chinese perspectives on climate and its effects on human life. Let’s take a look at some common weather-related chengyu and phrases.

Putting your Chinese weather knowledge into practice

Now that you’ve learned hundreds of ways to discuss weather and climate in Chinese, it’s time to apply this knowledge in real-life situations! Try incorporating these terms and phrases in your daily Mandarin practice so you can eventually become an expert at reading a Chinese weather report.

Want to push beyond weather talk in your Chinese conversations? Then check out our Mandarin blog! We regularly publish Chinese blogs that will improve your language skills and give you the cultural context you need to thrive, like our guide to Chinese adjectives or our guide to talking big money in Chinese.