天气

• Pinyin: tiān qì
• Hanzi breakdown: 天 = sky/heaven; 气 = air/gas — literally 'sky air'

Meaning

Weather. Refers to atmospheric conditions such as sunny, rainy, cold, or hot.

One of the most common conversation topics in Chinese, just as in many cultures. Frequently used with adjectives like 好 (good), 冷 (cold), 热 (hot). The question 今天天气怎么样 is a standard way to ask about the weather.

Examples

1. 今天天气怎么样？ How is the weather today?
2. 北京的天气很冷。 Beijing's weather is very cold.
3. 明天天气会更好。 Tomorrow's weather will be better.

Usage Guide

Context: weather, small talk

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 今天天气不错。(The weather is nice today.)
• 听说明天天气不好。(I heard the weather will be bad tomorrow.)

Don't Say

• 天气是冷。(Wrong — say 天气很冷; adjectives in Chinese use 很 as a default modifier, not 是)

Origin & History

A compound of 天 (sky/heaven) and 气 (air/gas), literally meaning 'sky air' — the condition of the atmosphere.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal