空气

• Pinyin: kōng qì
• Hanzi breakdown: 空 (kōng) — empty, sky; 气 (qì) — air, gas, breath

Meaning

Air. The invisible mixture of gases surrounding the Earth that we breathe.

Used both literally for the atmosphere and air quality, and figuratively for the mood of a situation. Air quality is a frequent topic of conversation in Chinese cities.

Examples

1. 今天的空气很好。 The air is very good today.
2. 山上的空气特别新鲜。 The air in the mountains is especially fresh.
3. 打开窗户让空气进来。 Open the window to let the air in.

Usage Guide

Context: weather, environment, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这里的空气真好！(The air here is really nice!)
• 空气不好的时候要戴口罩。(You should wear a mask when the air quality is bad.)

Don't Say

• 不要说'空气很大' (Don't say the air is 大 — say 空气很好 for good air or 空气不好 for bad air)

Origin & History

Compound of 空 (empty, sky) and 气 (air, gas, breath). Together they describe the gaseous substance filling the sky.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal