季

• Pinyin: jì
• Hanzi breakdown: 季 = 禾 (grain) + 子 (child) — originally the youngest child; extended to mean a season or period

Meaning

Season; quarter. A division of the year or a period within a cycle.

Most commonly used in 季节 (season) and the four seasons: 春季 (spring), 夏季 (summer), 秋季 (autumn), 冬季 (winter). Also used for business quarters (第一季度) and TV show seasons (第二季). The single character 季 is more formal than the colloquial 天 used in seasonal words like 春天.

Examples

1. 北京的秋季天气非常舒服。 The autumn weather in Beijing is very comfortable.
2. 这是我最喜欢的季节。 This is my favorite season.
3. 雨季快到了，大家要注意防洪。 The rainy season is coming soon — everyone should pay attention to flood prevention.

Usage Guide

Context: weather, time, nature, business

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 你最喜欢哪个季节？(Which season do you like best?)
• 夏季是旅游的旺季。(Summer is the peak season for tourism.)

Don't Say

• 现在是几季？(Don't ask 'what season number is it?' — ask 现在是什么季节 for the current season)

Origin & History

Originally composed of 禾 (grain) + 子 (child), referring to the youngest or last in a series — the youngest brother. Later extended to mean a period or season of the year.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal