気温

• Reading: きおん
• Romaji: kion
• Kanji breakdown: 気 (ki/ke) — air, spirit; 温 (on) — warm, temperature
• Pronunciation: /ki.oɴ/

Meaning

Air temperature; atmospheric temperature. Used specifically for weather, not for objects or body temperature.

A noun combining 気 (air/atmosphere) and 温 (warmth/temperature). Unlike 温度 which can describe the temperature of anything, 気温 is reserved for outdoor or atmospheric temperature. Commonly seen in weather forecasts and news.

Examples

1. 今日の気温は三十度を超えるらしい。 Apparently today's temperature is going to exceed 30 degrees.
2. 朝と夜の気温の差が大きい。 The difference in temperature between morning and night is big.
3. 気温が下がって風邪をひく人が増えた。 As the temperature dropped, more people started catching colds.

Usage Guide

Context: weather, news, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Sino-Japanese compound. 気 (ki, air/atmosphere) combined with 温 (on, warmth) to specifically denote the temperature of the ambient air.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal