冰雪

• Pinyin: bīng xuě
• Hanzi breakdown: 冰 = 氵(water) + 冫(ice); 雪 = 雨 (rain) + 彐 (broom-like component)

Meaning

Ice and snow. Used to describe wintry conditions, winter landscapes, or things associated with cold and purity.

Frequently appears in fixed expressions and poetic language. 冰雪聪明 means extraordinarily clever. Also used literally to describe winter weather, mountain environments, or ice sports.

Examples

1. 冬天一到，北方大地就被冰雪覆盖。 Once winter arrives, the northern land is covered in ice and snow.
2. 冰雪运动在年轻人中越来越受欢迎。 Ice and snow sports are becoming increasingly popular among young people.
3. 大家都说她冰雪聪明，学什么都很快。 Everyone says she is brilliantly clever and learns anything quickly.

Usage Guide

Context: nature, weather, sports

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 冰雪天气出行要特别小心。(Be extra careful when travelling in icy and snowy weather.)
• 她在冰雪中快乐地奔跑。(She ran happily through the ice and snow.)

Don't Say

• 不要把'冰雪'当成单纯的'雪'来用 — 若只是下雪，用'雪'更准确 (Don't use 冰雪 when you only mean snow — use 雪 if ice is not involved)

Origin & History

冰 (ice) + 雪 (snow) — a compound combining two related natural phenomena of cold weather.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal