Weather in Chinese
This list collects basic to intermediate Chinese weather vocabulary: words used to describe daily conditions, meteorological phenomena, and terms common in forecasts. It's useful for learners who want to talk about the weather, ask about the forecast, and recognize weather terms in apps or news.
- 天气 tiānqì — weather
- 气候 qìhòu — climate (meteorology); the long-term weather patterns of a region
- 下雨 xiàyǔ — to rain
- 下雪 xiàxuě — to snow
- 刮风 guāfēng — to be windy; the wind is blowing
- 晴天 qíngtiān — clear sky; sunny day
- 阴天 yīntiān — cloudy day; overcast sky
- 多云 duōyún — cloudy (meteorology); having many clouds
- 雷 léi — thunder; thunderclap; mine (explosive device)
- 打雷 dǎléi — to rumble with thunder; (of thunder) to clap
- 闪电 shǎndiàn — lightning
- 温度 wēndù — temperature (degree of heat or cold)
- 气温 qìwēn — air temperature; the temperature of the atmosphere
- 湿度 shīdù — the amount of moisture in the air; humidity
- 预报 yùbào — to forecast; to predict (e.g., weather, trends)
- 气象 qìxiàng — meteorological condition; weather; meteorology; the general atmospheric conditions; atmosphere or ambience of a place or situation
- 风 fēng — wind (moving air)
- 风向 fēngxiàng — wind direction; the way the wind is blowing; figuratively: trends (esp. unpredictable ones); how things are developing; course of events
- 风速 fēngsù — wind speed
- 雾 wù — fog; mist
- 霜 shuāng — frost (thin coating of ice formed from freezing moisture)
- 冰雹 bīngbáo — hail; hailstone
- 暴雨 bàoyǔ — torrential rain; rainstorm
- 暴风 bàofēng — windstorm; (meteorology) storm (force 11 wind)
- 台风 táifēng — stage presence; manner or poise displayed by a performer
- 龙卷风 lóngjuǎnfēng — tornado; a violent rotating column of air (twister, cyclone)
- 四季 sìjì — the four seasons (spring, summer, autumn, winter)
- 春天 chūntiān — spring (season)
- 夏天 xiàtiān — summer
- 秋天 qiūtiān — autumn; fall
- 冬天 dōngtiān — winter (the season)
- 暖和 nuǎnhuo — warm; pleasantly warm (weather, temperature, room)
- 炎热 yánrè — blistering hot; sizzling hot (of weather)
- 凉快 liángkuai — pleasantly cool (weather, air, etc.)
- 寒冷 hánlěng — cold (climate); frigid; very cold
- 日照 rìzhào — sunlight; sunshine; solar radiation; also Rizhao, a city in Shandong
- 紫外线 zǐwàixiàn — ultraviolet ray
- 降雨 jiàngyǔ — precipitation; rainfall
- 干燥 gānzào — Dry; arid (of weather, climate, soil)
- 潮湿 cháoshī — damp; moist
- 气压 qìyā — atmospheric pressure; barometric pressure
- 前线 qiánxiàn — front line; military front (where fighting occurs)
- 预警 yùjǐng — early warning; warning (notice or system that alerts to danger or upcoming events)
- 气象台 qìxiàngtái — meteorological office; weather forecasting office
- 小雨 xiǎoyǔ — light rain; drizzle
- 中雨 zhōngyǔ — moderate rain; rainfall of moderate intensity (between light and heavy)
- 阵雨 zhènyǔ — shower (rain); a short period of rain
- 毛毛雨 máomaoyǔ — drizzle; light rain; (fig.) mere trifle; something that has only a weak effect