冬天

• Pinyin: dōng tiān
• Hanzi breakdown: 冬 (dōng) — winter; 天 (tiān) — day, season

Meaning

Winter. The coldest season of the year.

One of four season words: 春天 (spring), 夏天 (summer), 秋天 (autumn), 冬天 (winter). In much of China, winter is associated with heating, hot pot, and snowy landscapes.

Examples

1. 冬天的时候，我喜欢喝热汤。 In winter, I like to drink hot soup.
2. 北京的冬天常常下雪。 It often snows in Beijing during winter.
3. 冬天大家都穿得很厚。 In winter, everyone dresses very warmly.

Usage Guide

Context: seasons, weather, daily life

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 冬天到了，要多穿衣服。(Winter is here — wear more clothes.)
• 你喜欢冬天还是夏天？(Do you prefer winter or summer?)

Don't Say

• 注意'冬天'和'冬季'的区别 — 冬天 is the everyday word for winter, while 冬季 is more formal and used in writing, weather reports, and official contexts.

Origin & History

Compound of 冬 (winter) and 天 (day, sky, season). The character 冬 originally depicted ice crystals.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal