凉鞋

• Pinyin: liáng xié
• Hanzi breakdown: 凉 = 冫(ice) + 京, cool; 鞋 = 革 (leather) + 圭, shoes

Meaning

Sandals; open-toed footwear worn in warm weather.

General term for sandals of all types. Common compounds: 塑料凉鞋 (plastic sandals), 皮凉鞋 (leather sandals), 高跟凉鞋 (high-heeled sandals). In workplace contexts, sandals may be considered too casual.

Examples

1. 夏天我喜欢穿凉鞋，透气又凉快。 In summer I like wearing sandals; they're breathable and cool.
2. 这双凉鞋的设计很时尚，是今年的新款。 The design of these sandals is very fashionable; they're this year's new style.
3. 公司规定上班不能穿凉鞋，要穿正式的皮鞋。 Company policy says you can't wear sandals to work; you have to wear formal leather shoes.

Usage Guide

Context: clothing, summer, shopping

Tone: casual

Do Say

• 你的凉鞋真好看！(Your sandals are so pretty!)
• 天热了，该换凉鞋了。(It's getting hot; time to switch to sandals.)

Don't Say

• 把拖鞋叫凉鞋 (凉鞋 has straps/structure; 拖鞋 are slip-on slippers without heel straps)

Origin & History

Compound of 凉 (cool) + 鞋 (shoes). Shoes designed to keep feet cool.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal