冬季

• Pinyin: dōng jì
• Hanzi breakdown: 冬 = represents the end of the year, with two dots suggesting ice; 季 = 禾 (grain) + 子 (child), referring to a period in the agricultural cycle

Meaning

Winter; winter season. The coldest season of the year.

A more formal or literary way to say winter compared to 冬天, often used in news, weather reports, product labels, and official contexts. Common in compounds like 冬季运动 (winter sports), 冬季促销 (winter sale), and 冬季奥运会 (Winter Olympics).

Examples

1. 北方的冬季特别寒冷，经常下大雪。 Winter in the north is extremely cold, with frequent heavy snowfall.
2. 冬季是吃火锅最好的时候。 Winter is the best time for eating hotpot.
3. 这家店的冬季打折活动马上就要开始了。 This shop's winter sale event is about to begin.

Usage Guide

Context: weather, seasons

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 冬季要注意保暖。(Take care to keep warm in winter.)
• 冬季奥运会四年举办一次。(The Winter Olympics are held every four years.)

Don't Say

• 在日常聊天中总用'冬季'代替'冬天' (Don't always use 冬季 instead of 冬天 in casual conversation — 冬季 sounds formal; 冬天 is more natural in everyday speech)

Origin & History

Compound of 冬 (winter) and 季 (season). 冬 depicts the end of a year's cycle, and 季 means season.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal