tiān qì
weather
今天天气很好。
jīntiān tiānqì hěn hǎo.
The weather is nice today.
明天天气会下雨。
míngtiān tiānqì huì xià yǔ.
It will rain tomorrow.
天气预报说今天有雨。
tiānqì yùbào shuō jīntiān yǒu yǔ.
The weather forecast says it will rain today.
气候 (qìhòu)
climate
气象 (qìxiàng)
meteorology
天气预报 (tiānqì yùbào)
weather forecast
晴天 (qíngtiān)
sunny day
阴天 (yīntiān)
cloudy day
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The Chinese word 天气 (tiānqì) for "weather" is composed of two characters: 天 (tiān) and 气 (qì). 天 originally meant "sky" or "heaven" in ancient Chinese, and it was often used to refer to the supreme god or the divine realm. 气, on the other hand, had a broad range of meanings, including "air," "breath," "energy," and "vital force." When combined, 天气 literally means "the condition of the sky" or "the state of the atmosphere." This compound word captures the idea that weather is a dynamic phenomenon influenced by various atmospheric factors such as temperature, humidity, precipitation, and wind.Over time, the meaning of 天气 evolved to encompass not only the physical conditions of the atmosphere but also the broader concept of climate. In modern Chinese, 天气 is commonly used to refer to the short-term state of the atmosphere, while 气候 (qìhòu) is used for long-term climate patterns.
