常温

• Pinyin: cháng wēn
• Hanzi breakdown: 常 = 尚 (phonetic) + 巾; 温 = 氵(water radical) + 昷 (warm, phonetic)

Meaning

Room temperature; ambient temperature; normal temperature. The ordinary temperature of the surrounding environment, typically around 15–25°C.

A practical term used in science, medicine, food safety, and logistics to specify that something should be stored or used at room temperature — not refrigerated, not heated. Appears on product labels (常温储存 — store at room temperature), in scientific protocols, and in everyday speech when discussing beverages or food handling. Contrasts with 冷藏 (refrigerated), 冷冻 (frozen), and 高温 (high temperature).

Examples

1. 这款益生菌产品无需冷藏，常温下保质期长达两年，方便携带和储存。 This probiotic product requires no refrigeration and has a shelf life of as long as two years at room temperature, making it convenient to carry and store.
2. 实验要求样品在常温环境中静置二十四小时后再进行检测，以确保结果的准确性。 The experiment requires samples to be left to stand at room temperature for twenty-four hours before testing, in order to ensure the accuracy of the results.
3. 夏天最好别直接喝刚从冰箱取出的水，常温水对肠胃的刺激相对更小。 In summer it is best not to drink water straight from the refrigerator — water at room temperature causes relatively less irritation to the stomach and intestines.

Usage Guide

Context: food safety, science, medicine, logistics, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这种药品需要常温保存，避免阳光直射和高温环境，开封后三个月内用完。(This medication should be stored at room temperature, away from direct sunlight and high-heat environments, and used within three months of opening.)
• 常温牛奶采用超高温瞬时灭菌技术，无需冷链运输，大大降低了储运成本。(Room-temperature milk uses ultra-high-temperature instantaneous sterilisation technology, requires no cold-chain transport, and significantly reduces storage and shipping costs.)

Don't Say

• 今天天气的常温是三十度。(常温 is not the same as 气温 or 当日温度 — use 今天的气温是三十度)

Origin & History

常 (normal, ordinary) + 温 (temperature, warm). The ordinary or normal temperature of an environment.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal