Day 12: Weather — Learn Chinese in 30 Days
Learn how to talk about the weather in Chinese — sunshine, rain, hot and cold, and the small talk that makes you sound like a native.
Today's Vocabulary
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 天气 | Weather | |
| 热 | Hot | |
| 冷 | Cold | |
| 下雨 | Raining / To rain | |
| 下雪 | Snowing / To snow | |
| 晴天 | Sunny day | |
| 阴天 | Cloudy / Overcast | |
| 风 | Wind | |
| 今天天气怎么样 | How's the weather today? | |
| 穿 | To wear / To put on |
What You’ll Learn Today
Weather is the universal ice-breaker. Talking about the weather in Chinese isn’t just small talk — China’s massive size means weather varies wildly by region, season, and altitude. Today’s vocabulary sets you up for both conversation and practical planning.
The Core Pattern: 很 + Weather Adjective
很 (hěn) means “very” but is also used as a generic linking word before adjectives — even when you don’t actually mean “very”:
- 今天很热。(Jīn tiān hěn rè.) — It’s hot today.
- 今天很冷。(Jīn tiān hěn lěng.) — It’s cold today.
- 今天很舒服。(Jīn tiān hěn shū fu.) — The weather is very comfortable today.
Weather Vocabulary Expanded
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 太阳 | tài yáng | Sun |
| 云 | yún | Cloud |
| 雨 | yǔ | Rain |
| 雪 | xuě | Snow |
| 雾 | wù | Fog |
| 台风 | tái fēng | Typhoon |
| 温度 | wēn dù | Temperature |
| 湿 | shī | Humid / Wet |
| 干燥 | gān zào | Dry |
| 凉快 | liáng kuai | Cool and pleasant |
Sentence Patterns
Pattern 1: Asking about the weather
今天天气怎么样？— Jīn tiān tiān qì zěn me yàng? — How’s the weather today?
Pattern 2: Describing the weather
外面下雨了！— Wài miàn xià yǔ le! — It’s raining outside!
Pattern 3: Giving clothing advice
多穿点，外面很冷。— Duō chuān diǎn, wài miàn hěn lěng. — Wear more layers, it’s cold outside.
This last phrase is what every Chinese parent/grandparent says constantly. Expect to hear it.
Cultural Note
Haze and air quality are real considerations in many Chinese cities. Major cities like Beijing and Shanghai now have widely used Air Quality Index (AQI) apps — 污染 (wū rǎn) means pollution, and 空气质量 (kōng qì zhì liàng) means air quality. On bad days, many locals wear masks outdoors.
China’s weather is extremely diverse: tropical in Hainan, desert in Xinjiang, alpine in Tibet, bitterly cold in Harbin (where they hold an annual ice sculpture festival), and subtropical in Guangzhou. The phrase 南涝北旱 (south floods, north droughts) captures one common weather pattern.
Practice Exercise
Translate:
- It’s very hot today.
- How’s the weather tomorrow?
- It’s raining outside, bring an umbrella! (umbrella = 雨伞 yǔ sǎn)
- It’s cold and windy.
Answers: 1) 今天很热。2) 明天天气怎么样？3) 外面下雨了，带雨伞！4) 又冷又有风。