寒假
hánjià
The English phrase "winter break" is translated into Chinese as 寒假 (hánjià).
寒假 is used to refer to the period of time off during the winter, specifically within a school calendar. A common way to express that a school is starting its winter break or that students are entering their break period is to use the verb 放 (fàng) with this term, as in 放寒假.
Meaning: time off in winter (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The term is composed of 寒 (hán), meaning cold and 假 (jià), meaning holiday or break.
Which one should you use?
While 寒假 (hánjià) refers specifically to the winter break in a school calendar, the term 暑假 (shǔjià) is used to refer to the summer break.
How do you pronounce it?
hánjià
Did you know?
- The character 假 in 寒假 is a homophone for the word 'fake' or 'false'. Because of this, Chinese internet slang often uses 假 to create puns about things being simulated or not real.
- In mainland China, 寒假 is often shorter than the summer break, but it is uniquely tied to the Lunar New Year, meaning the exact dates of the break change every year based on the lunar calendar.
- In China, the period of 寒假 is frequently associated with 'winter homework' 寒假作业. Unlike some Western breaks, it is culturally expected that students spend a significant portion of this time completing large packets of assignments.
Examples in context
- 我在寒假期间会去旅行。I will go on a trip during winter break.
- 寒假时间很短，我们应该充分利用。Winter break time is short, so we should make the most of it.
- 我们终于可以放寒假了，真开心！We can finally have winter break, I'm so happy!
- 我的寒假开始了。Wǒ de hánjià kāishǐ le.My winter break has started.
- 你打算寒假做什么？Nǐ dǎsuàn hánjià zuò shénme?What do you plan to do during winter break?
- 寒假的时候天气很冷。Hánjià de shíhou tiānqì hěn lěng.The weather is very cold during winter break.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “winter break” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
