tianqiyubao: 天气预报 - Weather Forecast, Weather Report

• Keywords: 天气预报, tianqiyubao, tian qi yu bao, weather forecast in Chinese, Chinese weather report, how to say weather in Chinese, CCTV weather forecast, 天气, 预报, HSK 3
• Summary: Learn how to say and use “weather forecast” in Chinese with 天气预报 (tiānqì yùbào). This page breaks down the characters 天 (sky), 气 (air), 预 (pre-), and 报 (report), explaining how this literal and practical term is a cornerstone of daily conversation in China. Discover its cultural significance through the famous CCTV news broadcast and master its usage with 10 practical example sentences, avoiding common mistakes English speakers make.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): tiānqì yùbào
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 3 (components 天气 is HSK 1, 预报 is HSK 4)
• Concise Definition: A report or prediction of future weather conditions.
• In a Nutshell: 天气预报 (tiānqì yùbào) is the direct and universal Chinese term for “weather forecast” or “weather report.” It's a compound word that literally means “sky-air pre-report.” It's a neutral, practical term you'll hear every day on TV, in apps, and in conversations about planning your day.

• 天 (tiān): Sky, heaven, or day. The character is a pictogram of a person with a large, broad head, symbolizing the vast expanse above.
• 气 (qì): Air, gas, vapor, or spirit. The character originally depicted steam or clouds rising from the ground. Together, 天气 (tiānqì) means “sky air,” which is the Chinese word for “weather.”
• 预 (yù): To prepare, in advance, or beforehand. It signifies something done before an event happens.
• 报 (bào): To report, to announce, or a newspaper. Together, 预报 (yùbào) means “to forecast” or a “forecast” (an “in-advance report”).

The combination is perfectly logical: 天气 (weather) + 预报 (forecast) = 天气预报 (weather forecast).

The 天气预报 is more than just a utility in China; it's a shared cultural touchstone. For decades, the entire nation would tune into the weather forecast broadcast immediately following the 7 PM national news, 新闻联播 (Xīnwén Liánbò), on the state-run channel CCTV. This program, with its iconic theme music and familiar hosts, became a ritual in households across the country. It was a moment of national synchronicity, where people from Beijing to Guangzhou learned about the weather in every province. While today most people check the weather on their smartphones, the memory and cultural weight of that CCTV broadcast remain. This contrasts with the Western experience, where weather information has long been more fragmented across various channels, websites, and apps like The Weather Channel. The centralized, almost ceremonial nature of the traditional Chinese weather report reflects a society that, until recently, was more collectivistic and synchronized by state media. It represents a shared, daily experience for hundreds of millions of people.

天气预报 is a neutral term used in all contexts, from casual small talk to formal broadcasts.

• Daily Conversation: It's a common way to start a conversation or plan activities with friends. “你看天气预报了吗？” (Did you see the weather forecast?) is the Chinese equivalent of “What's the weather like tomorrow?”
• Media and Apps: This is the standard term you'll see as the title of weather sections in newspapers, on websites, and as the name of weather apps (天气 or 天气预报).
• Travel Planning: It's essential for planning trips, as China's climate varies dramatically from region to region. You would always “查天气预报” (chá tiānqì yùbào - check the weather forecast) before traveling.

• Example 1:
  • 你看今天的天气预报了吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ kàn jīntiān de tiānqì yùbào le ma?
  • English: Did you watch today's weather forecast?
  • Analysis: A very common, everyday question. The verb used is 看 (kàn), meaning “to watch” or “to look at.”
• Example 2:
  • 天气预报说，明天会下雨。
  • Pinyin: Tiānqì yùbào shuō, míngtiān huì xià yǔ.
  • English: The weather forecast says it will rain tomorrow.
  • Analysis: This is the most common sentence structure for relaying information from the forecast. 说 (shuō), “to say,” is used as if the forecast is a person speaking.
• Example 3:
  • 我出门前习惯用手机查一下天气预报。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ chūmén qián xíguàn yòng shǒujī chá yīxià tiānqì yùbào.
  • English: I'm used to checking the weather forecast on my phone before I go out.
  • Analysis: This sentence reflects modern life. The verb 查 (chá), “to check,” is frequently used when talking about looking up information like a forecast, a dictionary, or a map.
• Example 4:
  • 这个天气预报一点儿也不准，说好是晴天，结果下大雨了。
  • Pinyin: Zhège tiānqì yùbào yīdiǎnr yě bù zhǔn, shuō hǎo shì qíngtiān, jiéguǒ xià dàyǔ le.
  • English: This weather forecast isn't accurate at all. It said it would be sunny, but it ended up pouring rain.
  • Analysis: A common complaint. 准 (zhǔn) means “accurate” or “on time.” 不准 (bù zhǔn) is the perfect word to describe an incorrect forecast.
• Example 5:
  • 根据天气预报，下周会有台风。
  • Pinyin: Gēnjù tiānqì yùbào, xià zhōu huì yǒu táifēng.
  • English: According to the weather forecast, there will be a typhoon next week.
  • Analysis: 根据 (gēnjù), “according to,” makes the sentence sound more formal, as if from a news report or official announcement.
• Example 6:
  • 我们去爬山吧！我看了天气预报，这个周末天气很好。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen qù páshān ba! Wǒ kàn le tiānqì yùbào, zhège zhōumò tiānqì hěn hǎo.
  • English: Let's go hiking! I checked the weather forecast, and the weather this weekend will be great.
  • Analysis: This shows how the forecast is used for planning activities. Notice the distinction: you check the 天气预报 (forecast) to know that the 天气 (weather) will be good.
• Example 7:
  • 晚上七点半，别忘了收看中央电视台的天气预报节目。
  • Pinyin: Wǎnshàng qī diǎn bàn, bié wàngle shōukàn Zhōngyāng Diànshìtái de tiānqì yùbào jiémù.
  • English: Don't forget to watch the CCTV weather forecast program at 7:30 PM.
  • Analysis: This directly references the famous CCTV broadcast. 收看 (shōukàn) is a formal verb for “to watch (a TV program).”
• Example 8:
  • 天气预报显示，未来三天持续高温。
  • Pinyin: Tiānqì yùbào xiǎnshì, wèilái sān tiān chíxù gāowēn.
  • English: The weather forecast shows that high temperatures will continue for the next three days.
  • Analysis: 显示 (xiǎnshì), “to show” or “to display,” is often used in written or more formal contexts, like what you'd see on a weather app screen.
• Example 9:
  • 今天的空气质量怎么样？你查天气预报App了吗？
  • Pinyin: Jīntiān de kōngqì zhìliàng zěnmeyàng? Nǐ chá tiānqì yùbào App le ma?
  • English: How is the air quality today? Did you check the weather forecast app?
  • Analysis: In modern China, air quality (空气质量) is often a key component of the daily weather report, making this a very practical and common question.
• Example 10:
  • 无论天气预报怎么说，我出门都习惯带一把伞。
  • Pinyin: Wúlùn tiānqì yùbào zěnme shuō, wǒ chūmén dōu xíguàn dài yī bǎ sǎn.
  • English: No matter what the weather forecast says, I'm always used to carrying an umbrella when I go out.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses the structure 无论…都… (wúlùn…dōu…), meaning “no matter…” or “regardless of…”. It shows a healthy skepticism towards the forecast's accuracy.

The most common mistake for beginners is confusing 天气 (tiānqì) with 天气预报 (tiānqì yùbào).

• 天气 (tiānqì) = “weather” (the actual atmospheric condition)
• 天气预报 (tiānqì yùbào) = “weather forecast” (the prediction of the condition)

You experience good weather, but you watch the weather forecast.

• Incorrect: 今天天气预报很好。 (Jīntiān tiānqì yùbào hěn hǎo.)
  • This literally means “Today's weather forecast is very good.” While grammatically possible, it sounds strange. You aren't complimenting the TV program, you're complimenting the weather.
• Correct: 今天天气很好。 (Jīntiān tiānqì hěn hǎo.)
  • This means “Today's weather is very good.”
• Incorrect: 我看了今天的天气。 (Wǒ kàn le jīntiān de tiānqì.)
  • This sounds like “I looked at today's weather” (e.g., by looking out the window). It doesn't mean you checked the forecast.
• Correct: 我看了今天的天气预报。 (Wǒ kàn le jīntiān de tiānqì yùbào.)
  • This clearly means “I watched/checked today's weather forecast.”

• 天气 (tiānqì) - Weather. The core subject of the forecast.
• 预报 (yùbào) - Forecast. Can be used for other predictions, like a 经济预报 (jīngjì yùbào, economic forecast).
• 气温 (qìwēn) - Air temperature. A key piece of data in any weather forecast.
• 晴天 (qíngtiān) - Sunny day. A type of weather often hoped for.
• 阴天 (yīntiān) - Overcast day, cloudy day.
• 下雨 (xià yǔ) - To rain. A common prediction.
• 下雪 (xià xuě) - To snow.
• 台风 (táifēng) - Typhoon. A major weather event in coastal China.
• 空气质量 (kōngqì zhìliàng) - Air Quality. An increasingly important part of daily forecasts in Chinese cities.
• 新闻联播 (Xīnwén Liánbò) - The famous 7 PM national news broadcast that immediately precedes the institutional CCTV weather report.