濕 / 湿
shī
The English word "humid" is translated into Chinese as 濕 / 湿 (shī). If unsure, use 濕 / 湿. Wiktionary also lists 濕潤 / 湿润 (shīrùn).
Meaning: slightly wet (adj)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 濕 / 湿 | shī |
| 濕潤 / 湿润 | shīrùn |
In daily conversation, when talking about the humidity of the air or a damp room, the word 潮濕 / 潮湿 (cháoshī) is more common than the single character 濕 (shī).
What does it mean word for word?
The term 濕潤 / 湿润 (shīrùn) is a compound word where 濕 (shī) means wet and 潤 (rùn) means moist, smooth or lustrous.
Which one should you use?
While 濕 (shī) means wet or damp, 濕潤 / 湿润 (shīrùn) is a more formal or descriptive term often used to describe a pleasant, moist climate or fertile, damp soil.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The Cantonese expression 悶熱 (mun5 jit6) combines humid with the word for hot.
How do you pronounce it?
shī
Did you know?
- In Traditional Chinese Medicine, 濕 (shī) is not just a weather condition but a pathological 'dampness' that can accumulate in the body, leading to fatigue or joint pain.
- In some contexts, the idea of 'moistness' is linked to the word 滋潤 (zīrùn), which can describe not only air but also a 'rich' or 'lush' feeling in food or music.
- The concept of 'moistness' in Chinese culture is often linked to the idea of 'nourishing' (滋潤), making terms related to 濕 appear in contexts regarding health and skincare that would seem odd in English.
Examples in context
- 最近天气潮湿得让人感觉很不舒服。(Zuìjìn tiānqì cháoshī de ràng rén gǎnjué hěn bù shūfú.)Recently, the weather has been so humid, it makes me feel uncomfortable.
- 嗯，是的。这种湿润的气候总是让人觉得有些沉闷。(Ēn, shìde. Zhè zhǒng shīrùn de qìhòu zǒngshì ràng rén juéde yǒuxiē chénmèn.)Yes, that's right. This kind of moist climate always feels a bit suffocating.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “humid” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
