寒冷

• Pinyin: hán lěng
• Hanzi breakdown: 寒 = 宀 (roof) + components suggesting cold — extreme cold; 冷 = 冫(ice) + 令 (command, phonetic) — the feeling of ice

Meaning

Cold; frigid; freezing. Describes very cold weather or temperatures, more intense than simply 冷.

A more literary and emphatic alternative to 冷 for describing cold weather. Often used in weather forecasts, descriptive writing, and formal contexts. Can also be used figuratively to describe emotional coldness or a bleak atmosphere. Common collocations include 寒冷的冬天 (frigid winter) and 天气寒冷 (the weather is freezing).

Examples

1. 北方的冬天非常寒冷，常常零下二十度。 Winters in the north are extremely cold, often twenty degrees below zero.
2. 出门的时候多穿点衣服，外面很寒冷。 Put on more clothes when you go out; it is very cold outside.
3. 虽然天气寒冷，但是公园里还有人在锻炼。 Although the weather is cold, there are still people exercising in the park.

Usage Guide

Context: weather, seasons, description

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 今年冬天特别寒冷。(This winter is especially cold.)
• 寒冷的天气让人不想出门。(The cold weather makes people not want to go out.)

Don't Say

• 这杯水很寒冷 (Don't use 寒冷 for cold drinks or objects — use 冰 or 凉; 寒冷 describes weather or atmospheric cold)

Origin & History

寒 (hán, cold) + 冷 (lěng, cold) — a synonym compound where both characters mean cold, combining for emphasis on extreme cold.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal