12 Chinese Idioms to Describe the Weather

Chinese idioms are a great way to take your Chinese skill up a notch. They can be used as a more fun and creative way to talk about anything, including the weather.

So in this blog, we will review some basic Chinese words for describing the weather, then explain the meaning and uses of twelve common sayings to describe the weather, whether it be hot, cold, windy, snowy, or rainy!

Let’s dive in!

Table of Contents
Useful Chinese words about the weather
Chinese idioms for the summer
1. 骄阳似火 jiāo yáng sì huǒ
2. 烈日炎炎 liè rì yán yán
3. 挥汗如雨 huī hàn rú yǔ
4. 绿树成荫 lǜ shù chéng yīn
5. 万里无云 wàn lǐ wú yún
6. 阳光普照 yáng guāng pǔ zhào
7. 微风习习 wéi fēng xí xí
Chinese idioms for the winter
8. 寒风刺骨 hán fēng cì gǔ
9. 阴雨绵绵 yīn yǔ mián mián
10. 倾盆大雨 qīng pén dà yǔ
11. 天寒地冻 tiān hán dì dòng
12. 大雪纷飞 dà xuě fēn fēi

Useful Chinese words about the weather

Here are some basic Chinese vocabulary related to the weather.

Now that the know the basic stuff, let's look at some creative ways to describe the weather using Chinese idioms!

Chinese idioms for the summer

1. 骄阳似火 jiāo yáng sì huǒ "the scorching sun"

This Chinese idiom describes the moments when the sun is burning like fire on a swelteringly hot summer day.

Example Sentence

骄阳似火的下午，公园里游客很少。
Jiāoyáng sì huǒ de xiàwǔ, gōngyuán lǐ yóukè hěn shǎo.
On afternoons that are sweltering hot, there are very few visitors in the park.

2. 烈日炎炎 liè rì yán yán "The swelteringly hot day"

This Chinese idiom describes the hot summer days with very intense sunshine.

Example Sentence

在这烈日炎炎的天气里，你还要去爬山吗？
Zài zhè lièrì yányán de tiānqì lǐ, nǐ hái yào qù páshān ma?
On a swelteringly hot day like this, you still want to go hiking?

3. 挥汗如雨 huī hàn rú yǔ"Sweat like rain"

This Chinese idiom describes the times when you are sweating a lot. When you wipe your head, it’s as if it is raining. It references the days when you sweat a lot because of the heat.

Example Sentence

烈日下，妈妈在田地里挥汗如雨地劳动着。
Lièrì xià, māmā zài tiándì lǐ huīhànrúyǔ de láodòngzhe.
Under the scorching sun, my mother is in the field working with sweat dripping like the rain.

4. 绿树成荫 lǜ shù chéng yīn "Green trees providing shade"

This Chinese idiom describes a tree that is densely packed with leaves, covering the sun.

Example Sentence

夏日，虽然骄阳似火，却绿树成荫。
Xià rì, suīrán jiāoyáng sì huǒ, què lǜ shù chéng yīn.
In the summer, even though the sun is scorching, the trees still provide shade.

5. 万里无云 wàn lǐ wú yún "No clouds for ten thousand kilometers"

This Chinese idiom describes a beautiful day with a clear sky and not a cloud in sight.

Example Sentence

那是一个星期五的下午，天空万里无云。
Nà shì yīgè xīngqíwǔ de xiàwǔ, tiānkōng wànlǐ wú yún.
It was a Friday afternoon and there wasn't a cloud in the sky.

6. 阳光普照 yáng guāng pǔ zhào "the shining sunlight covers the entire land"

This Chinese idiom describes the bright and sunny days when everything is sun-drenched and everyone breaks out their favorite sunglasses.

Example Sentence

外面阳光普照，我们去游泳吧。
Wàimiàn yángguāng pǔzhào, wǒmen qù yóuyǒng ba.
It's sunny outside, let's go swimming.

7. 微风习习 wéi fēng xí xí "A breeze blows gently"

This Chinese idiom describes a gentle breeze that feels pleasant.

Example Sentence

今天微风习习，暖洋洋的，真舒服。
Jīntiān wéifēng xíxí, nuǎn yángyáng de, zhēn shūfú.
It's breezy and warm today, so comfortable.

Chinese idioms for the winter

8. 寒风刺骨 hán fēng cì gǔ "the cold wind cuts through one's bones"

This Chinese idiom describes painfully cold weather that chills to the bones.

Example Sentence

外面寒风刺骨，你还是穿上大衣吧。
Wàimiàn hán fēng cìgǔ, nǐ háishì chuān shàng dàyī ba.
It's bitterly cold outside, you'd better put on your coat.

9. 阴雨绵绵 yīn yǔ mián mián "continuously gloomy and rainy"

This Chinese idiom describes gloomy and rainy days that extends over a long period.

Example Sentence

六月的江南，阴雨绵绵，空气湿润。
Liù yuè de jiāngnán, yīnyǔ miánmián, kōngqì shīrùn.
In June in the south of the Yangtze River, it is rainy and humid.

10. 倾盆大雨 qīng pén dà yǔ "a heavy downpour"

This Chinese idiom describes a heavy rainfall, similar to "it’s raining cats and dogs" in Chinese.

Example Sentence

他顶着倾盆大雨走路回家。
Tā dǐngzhe qīngpén dàyǔ zǒulù huí jiā.
He walked home in the pouring rain.

11. 天寒地冻 tiān hán dì dòng "The weather is so cold that the ground is frozen"

This Chinese idiom describes a freezing cold day.

Example Sentence

他们被迫在户外天寒地冻的环境下工作。
Tāmen bèi pò zài hùwài tiān hán dì dòng de huánjìng xià gōngzuò.
They were forced to work outside in freezing temperatures.

12. 大雪纷飞 dà xuě fēn fēi "a heavy snowfall"

This Chinese idiom describes extremely snowy days when snowflakes blankets the ground.

Example Sentence

在冬季大雪纷飞的一天，妈妈生下了你。
Zài dōngjì dàxuě fēnfēi de yītiān, māmā shēng xiàle nǐ.
On a snowy day in winter, your mother gave birth to you.

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