氷点下の気温
hyōtenka no kion
The Japanese phrase for "negative temperature" is 氷点下の気温 (hyōtenka no kion).
氷点下の気温 is used to describe a temperature that is below zero degrees. In many contexts, you can omit 気温 (kion) and simply use 氷点下 (hyōtenka) to refer to temperatures below zero.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 氷点下 (hyōtenka) literally means "below the freezing point", where 氷 (hyō) means ice, 点 (ten) means point and 下 (ka) means below.
How do you pronounce it?
hyōtenka no kion
Did you know?
- While English speakers use 'minus' or 'negative' to describe temperatures, Japanese speakers often use the word マイナス (mainasu), which is the transliteration of the English word 'minus'.
- In Japanese weather reports, you will often hear 氷点下 paired with 冷え込み (biekomi), a word specifically for a 'deep chill' that has no direct single-word equivalent in English.
- The character 下 (ka) in 氷点下 is read as 'ka' instead of its more common 'shita' because it is part of a formal compound word known as a kango.
Examples in context
- 氷点下の気温が続いています。hyoutenka no kion ga tsuzuite imasu.Negative temperatures are continuing.
- 昨日は氷点下の気温でした。kinou wa hyoutenka no kion deshita.Yesterday, the temperature was below zero.
- 氷点下の気温なので注意してください。hyoutenka no kion nanode chuui shite kudasai.Please be careful because the temperature is below zero.
Example conversation
Two friends are checking the weather forecast for a trip.
- 蓮 Ren明日は氷点下の気温になるみたいだよ。ashita wa hyoutenka no kion ni naru mitai da yo.It looks like the temperature will be below zero tomorrow.
- 美咲 Misaki本当？すごく寒そうだね。hontou? sugoku samusou da ne.Really? It sounds very cold.
- 蓮 Ren美咲、厚いコートを持って行ったほうがいいよ。misaki, atsui kooto o motte itta hou ga ii yo.Misaki, you should take a thick coat.
- 美咲 Misakiわかった、準備しておくね。wakatta, junbi shite oku ne.Okay, I'll get it ready.
