升温

• Pinyin: shēng wēn
• Hanzi breakdown: 升 = 十 + 升形 (rise, ascend); 温 = 氵+ 昷 (warm, temperature)

Meaning

To warm up; to rise in temperature; figuratively, to intensify or heat up (relations, sentiment, market activity).

Literally refers to an increase in temperature. Figuratively, 升温 is widely used in Chinese media and economics to describe growing enthusiasm, warming bilateral relations, or rising market activity. Antonym: 降温.

Examples

1. 随着夏季到来，全国多地气温持续升温，创下近年新高。 As summer arrives, temperatures across many parts of the country have kept rising, setting new highs in recent years.
2. 中美两国关系近期明显升温，双方贸易往来也随之增多。 U.S.-China relations have clearly warmed up recently, and trade between the two sides has increased as well.
3. 楼市持续升温，购房者的观望情绪有所减弱。 The housing market continues to heat up, and buyers have become less hesitant to wait and see.

Usage Guide

Context: weather, economics, diplomacy, media

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 受厄尔尼诺现象影响，今年夏季全球多个地区将出现明显升温趋势。(Influenced by El Niño, many regions around the world are expected to see a marked warming trend this summer.)
• 两国领导人互访后，双边经贸关系迅速升温，合作项目大幅增加。(After the two leaders' mutual visits, bilateral economic and trade relations warmed rapidly, with cooperative projects increasing significantly.)

Don't Say

• 升温 when you mean an emotional outburst — it implies a gradual rise; use 激化 or 爆发 for sudden flare-ups

Origin & History

升 (rise, go up) + 温 (temperature, warmth)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal