避暑

• Pinyin: bì shǔ
• Hanzi breakdown: 避 = 辶 (walk) + 辟 (avoid); 暑 = 日 (sun) + 者 (one who)

Meaning

To escape the summer heat; to spend summer at a cooler place.

Refers to the practice of going to cooler regions or mountain resorts during hot summer months. A traditional practice among those who can afford it. Also used in compound words like 避暑山庄 (the famous imperial summer resort).

Examples

1. 每年暑假我们全家都会去山里避暑，那边比城里凉快多了。 Every summer vacation our whole family goes to the mountains to escape the heat — it's much cooler than the city.
2. 承德避暑山庄是清朝皇帝夏天办公和休息的地方。 Chengde Mountain Resort is where Qing Dynasty emperors worked and relaxed during summer.
3. 今年夏天太热了，我打算去云南避暑住一个月。 It's too hot this summer, so I'm planning to spend a month in Yunnan to escape the heat.

Usage Guide

Context: travel, leisure, seasonal

Tone: casual

Do Say

• 青岛是个避暑的好地方。(Qingdao is a great place to escape the summer heat.)
• 你们夏天去哪儿避暑？(Where do you go to beat the heat in summer?)

Don't Say

• 冬天说避暑 (Don't say 避暑 in winter — it specifically refers to escaping summer heat)

Origin & History

避 (avoid) + 暑 (summer heat). To avoid the summer heat.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal