温度计

• Pinyin: wēn dù jì
• Hanzi breakdown: 温 = 氵+ 昷 (warm, temperature); 度 = 广 + 廿 + 又 (degree, measure); 计 = 言 + 十 (count, instrument)

Meaning

Thermometer. An instrument used to measure temperature, available in various types including mercury, digital, and infrared.

Used in medical (体温计, clinical thermometer), scientific, industrial, and household contexts. Also used figuratively to describe something that measures or reflects the current state of affairs — for example, opinion polls described as social thermometers.

Examples

1. 护士用温度计给病人量了体温。 The nurse took the patient’s temperature with a thermometer.
2. 实验室里的温度计精度要求极高。 Thermometers in the laboratory must meet extremely high accuracy requirements.
3. 民调数据就像是社会情绪的温度计，反映公众的真实感受。 Poll data is like a thermometer for public sentiment, reflecting how people truly feel.

Usage Guide

Context: medicine, science, daily life

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 孩子发烧了，妈妈立刻取出温度计为他测量体温。(The child had a fever, so the mother immediately took out a thermometer to measure his temperature.)
• 这种电子温度计比传统水银温度计更安全，读数也更加直观。(This electronic thermometer is safer than a traditional mercury thermometer and its readings are more intuitive.)

Don't Say

• 用温度计量一下天气热不热 — for outdoor or weather temperature, say 室外温度 or check 天气预报; 温度计 without context typically implies a medical or laboratory instrument

Origin & History

温度 (temperature) + 计 (meter, instrument for measuring)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal