Mandarin Monday: All Your Essential Winter Vocab
Mandarin Monday is a regular series where we help you improve your Chinese by detailing fun and practical phrases and characters. This year's winter has been a pretty mild one for Beijing, so there's not been much use for Chinese phrases like 寒风刺骨 hán fēng cìgǔ “the cold wind pierces the bones.” However, if those temperatures do take a dramatic plunge, we've already gathered together some essential winter (冬天 dōngtiān) vocab you can use! Nature and Weather Snow – 雪 xuě Snowing – 下雪 xiàxuě Heavy Snow – 大雪 dàxuě Light Snow – 小雪 xiǎoxuě Blizzard – 暴雪 bàoxuě Sleet – 霰 xiàn Ice – 冰 bīng Freezing To Form Ice – 结冰 jiébīng Frost – 霜 shuāng Cold Wind – 寒风 hánfēng Cold Air – 冷空气 lěng kōngqì Hail – 冰雹 bīngbáo Freezing Rain – 冰冻雨 bīngdòng yǔ Frozen Ground – 冻土 dòngtǔ Cold Wave – 寒潮 háncháo Temperature Drop – 降温 jiàngwēn Below Freezing – 零度以下 língdù yǐxià Snowflake – 雪花 xuěhuā Freezing Cold – 寒冷 hánlěng Severe Cold – 严寒 yánhán Sunny but Cold – 晴冷 qínglěng Snowstorm With Strong Winds – 风雪交加 fēngxuě jiāojiā Cold Winter Night – 寒夜 hányè Winter Clothing Scarf – 围巾 wéijīnGloves – 手套 shǒutàoHat – 帽子 màoziDown jacket – 羽绒服 yǔróngfúSnow Boots – 雪地靴 xuědì xuēLong Johns/Thermal Pants – 秋裤 qiūkùSweater – 毛衣 máoyīOvercoat – 大衣 dàyī Winter Sports and Activities Skiing – 滑雪 huáxuěSki – 滑雪板 huáxuěbǎnSki Resort – 滑雪场 huáxuě chǎngCross-Country Skiing – 越野滑雪 yuèyě huáxuěIce Skating – 滑冰 huábīngIce Skates – 冰鞋 bīngxié Snowboarding – 单板滑雪 dānbǎn huáxuěSnowboard – 滑雪单板 huáxuě dān bǎnCurling – 冰壶 bīnghú Ice Hockey – 冰球 bīngqiúSledding – 雪橇 xuěqiāo Ski Jumping – 跳台滑雪 tiàotái huáxuěSnowmobiling – 雪地摩托 xuědì mótuōBuild a Snowman – 堆雪人 duī xuěrénSnowball Fight – 打雪仗 dǎ xuězhàngWinter Swimming – 冬泳 dōngyǒng Idioms and Phrases Related to Winter 千里冰封，万里雪飘 qiānlǐ bīng fēng, wànlǐ xuě piāo Translation: “Thousands of miles of ice, and thousands of miles of snow.” Meaning: A vivid description of the vast, frozen winter landscape, often used to praise the beauty of winter. 寒冬腊月 hándōng làyuè Translation: “The cold winter and the twelfth lunar month.” Meaning: Refers to the coldest time of the year, symbolizing the harshness of winter. 冰天雪地 bīngtiānxuědì Translation: “Icy skies and snowy ground.” Meaning: Describes a wintry scene covered in snow and ice. 瑞雪兆丰年 ruìxuě zhào fēngnián Translation: “A timely snow foretells a good harvest year.” Meaning: A hopeful idiom implying that snowfall is a blessing for agriculture and signifies prosperity. 寒风刺骨 hán fēng cìgǔ Translation: “The cold wind pierces the bones.” Meaning: Used to describe extreme coldness that feels sharp and biting. 滴水成冰 dīshuǐchéngbīng Translation: “Water freezes into ice as it drips.” Meaning: A vivid way to express freezing cold temperatures. 大雪纷飞 dàxuě fēnfēi Translation: “Heavy snow flying everywhere.” Meaning: Describes a scene of heavy snowfall. 雪中送炭 xuězhōngsòngtàn Translation: “Sending charcoal in the snow.” Meaning: Helping someone in their time of need, like providing warmth during a cold winter. 岁寒三友 suì hán sānyǒu Translation: “Three friends in the cold winter.” Meaning: Refers to pine, bamboo, and plum trees, which are admired for their ability to withstand the harsh winter, symbolizing resilience and integrity. 冬去春来 dōng qù chūnlái Translation: “Winter passes, and spring comes.” Meaning: Signifies the cycle of seasons and brings hope for new beginnings after hardship. READ: Mandarin Monday: Your Guide to Getting Love on Xiaohongshu (Red) Images: Uni You, Canva Provided:Paid:
Mandarin Monday is a regular series where we help you improve your Chinese by detailing fun and practical phrases and characters.
This year's winter has been a pretty mild one for Beijing, so there's not been much use for Chinese phrases like 寒风刺骨 hán fēng cìgǔ “the cold wind pierces the bones.” However, if those temperatures do take a dramatic plunge, we've already gathered together some essential winter (冬天 dōngtiān) vocab you can use!
Nature and Weather
Snow – 雪 xuě
Snowing – 下雪 xiàxuě
Heavy Snow – 大雪 dàxuě
Light Snow – 小雪 xiǎoxuě
Blizzard – 暴雪 bàoxuě
Sleet – 霰 xiàn
Ice – 冰 bīng
Freezing To Form Ice – 结冰 jiébīng
Frost – 霜 shuāng
Cold Wind – 寒风 hánfēng
Cold Air – 冷空气 lěng kōngqì
Hail – 冰雹 bīngbáo
Freezing Rain – 冰冻雨 bīngdòng yǔ
Frozen Ground – 冻土 dòngtǔ
Cold Wave – 寒潮 háncháo
Temperature Drop – 降温 jiàngwēn
Below Freezing – 零度以下 língdù yǐxià
Snowflake – 雪花 xuěhuā
Freezing Cold – 寒冷 hánlěng
Severe Cold – 严寒 yánhán
Sunny but Cold – 晴冷 qínglěng
Snowstorm With Strong Winds – 风雪交加 fēngxuě jiāojiā
Cold Winter Night – 寒夜 hányè
Winter Clothing
Scarf – 围巾 wéijīn
Gloves – 手套 shǒutào
Hat – 帽子 màozi
Down jacket – 羽绒服 yǔróngfú
Snow Boots – 雪地靴 xuědì xuē
Long Johns/Thermal Pants – 秋裤 qiūkù
Sweater – 毛衣 máoyī
Overcoat – 大衣 dàyī
Winter Sports and Activities
Skiing – 滑雪 huáxuě
Ski – 滑雪板 huáxuěbǎn
Ski Resort – 滑雪场 huáxuě chǎng
Cross-Country Skiing – 越野滑雪 yuèyě huáxuě
Ice Skating – 滑冰 huábīng
Ice Skates – 冰鞋 bīngxié
Snowboarding – 单板滑雪 dānbǎn huáxuě
Snowboard – 滑雪单板 huáxuě dān bǎn
Curling – 冰壶 bīnghú
Ice Hockey – 冰球 bīngqiú
Sledding – 雪橇 xuěqiāo
Ski Jumping – 跳台滑雪 tiàotái huáxuě
Snowmobiling – 雪地摩托 xuědì mótuō
Build a Snowman – 堆雪人 duī xuěrén
Snowball Fight – 打雪仗 dǎ xuězhàng
Winter Swimming – 冬泳 dōngyǒng
Idioms and Phrases Related to Winter
千里冰封，万里雪飘 qiānlǐ bīng fēng, wànlǐ xuě piāo
Translation: “Thousands of miles of ice, and thousands of miles of snow.”
Meaning: A vivid description of the vast, frozen winter landscape, often used to praise the beauty of winter.
寒冬腊月 hándōng làyuè
Translation: “The cold winter and the twelfth lunar month.”
Meaning: Refers to the coldest time of the year, symbolizing the harshness of winter.
冰天雪地 bīngtiānxuědì
Translation: “Icy skies and snowy ground.”
Meaning: Describes a wintry scene covered in snow and ice.
瑞雪兆丰年 ruìxuě zhào fēngnián
Translation: “A timely snow foretells a good harvest year.”
Meaning: A hopeful idiom implying that snowfall is a blessing for agriculture and signifies prosperity.
寒风刺骨 hán fēng cìgǔ
Translation: “The cold wind pierces the bones.”
Meaning: Used to describe extreme coldness that feels sharp and biting.
滴水成冰 dīshuǐchéngbīng
Translation: “Water freezes into ice as it drips.”
Meaning: A vivid way to express freezing cold temperatures.
大雪纷飞 dàxuě fēnfēi
Translation: “Heavy snow flying everywhere.”
Meaning: Describes a scene of heavy snowfall.
雪中送炭 xuězhōngsòngtàn
Translation: “Sending charcoal in the snow.”
Meaning: Helping someone in their time of need, like providing warmth during a cold winter.
岁寒三友 suì hán sānyǒu
Translation: “Three friends in the cold winter.”
Meaning: Refers to pine, bamboo, and plum trees, which are admired for their ability to withstand the harsh winter, symbolizing resilience and integrity.
冬去春来 dōng qù chūnlái
Translation: “Winter passes, and spring comes.”
Meaning: Signifies the cycle of seasons and brings hope for new beginnings after hardship.
READ: Mandarin Monday: Your Guide to Getting Love on Xiaohongshu (Red)
Images: Uni You, Canva
