Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 夏天 | xiàtiān | /ɕi̯ä⁵¹ tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /ɕi̯ä⁵¹ tʰi̯ɛn¹/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) |
|
| 夏季 | xiàjì | /ɕi̯ä⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕi⁵¹/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /haː²² kʷɐi̯³³/ (Cantonese, Guangzhou, Sinological IPA, Standard Cantonese, Hong Kong) |
|
| 熱天 / 热天 | joa̍h-thiⁿ | Hokkien | |
| 熱儂 / 热侬 | joa̍h–lâng | Hokkien |
The term refers to the hottest season of the year. If you want to describe the act of spending the summer specifically to enjoy oneself, you can use the more literary term 消夏. If you are talking about escaping the heat by going to a cooler place, such as a mountain resort, use 避暑.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 夏天 is composed of 夏 (summer) and 天 (day/sky/time), literally meaning "summer days" or "summer time".
Which one should you use?
While 夏天 is the standard term used in everyday conversation, 夏季 refers specifically to the "summer season" and is a more formal or technical term often found in weather reports or scientific contexts.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Taiwan and other Mandarin-speaking regions, the term 盛夏 is often used to describe the peak of summer.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is xiatian. The IPA is /ɕi̯ä⁵¹ tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵/.
Did you know?
- The character 夏 originally depicted a dancing person, which historians believe may have referred to a ritual dance performed during the summer months.
- The term 夏 also refers to the Xia Dynasty, the legendary first dynasty of China, making the word for 'summer' a proper noun for a historical era.
- In traditional Chinese culture, the 'summer' is not just a season but is often linked to the 'Five Elements' theory, where summer represents the element of 'fire'.
Examples in context
- 夏天过去了。The summer is over.This sentence shows how to express that summer has ended using 夏天.Tatoeba #7774794 by jiangche, translation #24342 by CK
- 我不喜欢夏天。I don't like summer.This sentence is useful for expressing a dislike of the season using 夏天.Tatoeba #1700146 by sadhen, translation #252224 by CK
- 日本的夏天很热。It is very hot in the summer in Japan.This sentence demonstrates how to describe the weather during summer in a specific location using 夏天.Tatoeba #2030729 by ydcok, translation #1588669 by CM
- 今年夏天的天气真热！(Jīnnián xiàtiān de tiānqì zhēn rè!)The weather this summer is really hot!
- 是啊，整个城市都像个蒸笼。(Shì a, zhěnggè chéngshì dōu xiàng gè zhēnglóng.)Yes, the whole city feels like a steamer.
- 暑假马上要开始了，你准备做什么？(Shǔjià mǎshàng yào kāishǐ le, nǐ zhǔnbèi zuò shénme?)The summer vacation is about to start, what are you planning to do?
- 96 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing the weather during a heatwave.
- 雨婷 Yuting今年的夏天真热啊。Jīnnián de xiàtiān zhēn rè a.This summer is really hot.
- 伟 Wei是啊，我快受不了了。Shì a, wǒ kuài shòubuliǎo le.Yeah, I can't stand it.
- 雨婷 Yuting伟，你打算去哪里避暑？Wěi, nǐ dǎsuàn qù nǎlǐ bìshǔ?Wei, where do you plan to go to escape the heat?
- 伟 Wei我想去海边吹吹风。Wǒ xiǎng qù hǎibiān chuīchuī fēng.I want to go to the seaside to feel the breeze.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “summer” translations and entries 夏天, 夏季, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
