noun HSK 2
dōng
winter

Meaning

means winter, the coldest season of the year. It is one of the four seasons in Chinese, along with spring (春), summer (夏), and autumn (秋). The character represents the end of the yearly cycle.

Usage

is commonly used in compound words related to winter activities, weather, and time periods. Native speakers frequently use it in phrases like 天 (winter season) rather than alone. It appears in many seasonal expressions and is essential for discussing weather and time of year.

Examples

  1. 01
    北京的天很冷。
    Běijīng de dōngtiān hěn lěng.
    Winter in Beijing is very cold.
  2. 02
    我喜欢在天滑雪。
    xǐhuan zài dōngtiān huáxuě.
    I like to ski in winter.

Measure words

  • 一个冬天

Common collocations

  • dōng tiān
    winter (season)
  • hán dōng
    cold winter
  • guò dōng
    to pass the winter
  • lóng dōng
    midwinter, depths of winter

Antonyms

Origin

The character originally depicted the end of a rope or thread, symbolizing the end of the year. Over time, it came to specifically represent winter as the final season.

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