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气温 (qì wēn) — temperature (of the air)

Definition

气温 is the temperature of the outdoor air, measured in degrees. 天气 is the general weather (sunny, rainy, etc.); 温度 is a broader, more technical word for temperature.

noun
temperature (of the air)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 气温，。
    Jīn tiān qì wēn hěn dī, duō chuān diǎn yī fu.
    Today's temperature is very low, wear more clothes.
  • 气温？
    Míng tiān de qì wēn shì duō shǎo dù?
    What's tomorrow's temperature?
  • 气温。
    Zhè lǐ qì wēn bǐ běi fāng gāo.
    The temperature here is higher than in the north.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

气qìair
温wēntemperature

气 (air) plus 温 (temperature) names the temperature of the air.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 氣; 气 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
米米mǐrice
Sound part声符shēngfú
气
气qì氣qì
Same sound today

The traditional form 氣 pairs 米 (rice) with 气, which supplies the sound; the simplified 气 is a later abbreviation.

Open 气 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 溫; 温 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 溫 is based on an older form 𥁕, which drew a person bathing in a container full of warm water. The simplified 温 is a later variant.

Open 温 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 4Weather

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