wēndù: 温度 - Temperature

• Keywords: wendu, wēn dù, 温度, temperature in Chinese, how to say temperature in Mandarin, Chinese word for temperature, Celsius in China, body temperature Chinese, weather in Chinese, fever in Chinese, measure temperature
• Summary: Learn how to use “温度” (wēndù), the essential Chinese word for “temperature.” This guide covers everything a beginner needs, from discussing the weather (in Celsius!) and checking for a fever, to understanding its metaphorical use for describing emotional “warmth.” Master practical sentences, cultural notes, and key related terms to talk about temperature in Chinese confidently.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): wēndù
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 3
• Concise Definition: The degree or intensity of heat present in a substance, object, or environment.
• In a Nutshell: “温度” is your direct, all-purpose word for “temperature.” It's a neutral, scientific term used just as broadly as in English. Whether you're checking the weather forecast, describing a fever, setting your oven, or even talking about the “warmth” of a person's character, 温度 is the word you'll use.

• 温 (wēn): This character means “warm,” “mild,” or “gentle.” The radical on the left (氵) is the “water” radical, often associated with liquids. You can think of it as the feeling of pleasantly warm water.
• 度 (dù): This character means “degree,” “measure,” “limit,” or “extent.” It's used in many words related to measurement.
• The two characters combine literally to mean “warmth-degree,” which is a very logical and straightforward way to form the word “temperature.”

While a scientific term, the usage of “温度” has important practical and cultural dimensions for a learner. The most significant difference for Westerners, particularly Americans, is the unit of measurement. China exclusively uses the Celsius scale (摄氏度, Shèshìdù). This is not just a scientific standard; it's the standard for daily life. A weather forecast of 30°C (sān shí dù) is a hot summer day (86°F), not a freezing one. Understanding this is crucial for daily conversation and travel. Metaphorically, “温度” is increasingly used to describe the quality of human interaction or the character of a place. A person or an action can “have temperature” (有温度, yǒu wēndù), which means they are warm, kind, and caring, not cold or indifferent. This contrasts with a purely transactional or robotic interaction that “lacks temperature” (没有温度, méiyǒu wēndù). Similarly, a city might be described as “有温度的城市” (a city with warmth/character), implying it's welcoming and has a strong sense of community.

“温度” is a high-frequency word used in many daily contexts.

• Weather (天气): This is the most common usage. People often ask about the daily high and low temperatures.
• Health (健康): When someone is sick, you'll hear “量温度” (liáng wēndù - to measure temperature) and talk about body temperature, “体温” (tǐwēn).
• Cooking & Environment: Used for setting the temperature of an oven (烤箱温度, kǎoxiāng wēndù), air conditioner (空调温度, kōngtiáo wēndù), or water heater.
• Figurative Language: As mentioned above, it's used to describe the emotional warmth of people, relationships, or even brands and services. A customer service that is helpful and friendly is “有温度的服务” (yǒu wēndù de fúwù).

• Example 1:
  • 今天的最高温度是三十度。
  • Pinyin: Jīntiān de zuìgāo wēndù shì sān shí dù.
  • English: Today's highest temperature is 30 degrees.
  • Analysis: A standard sentence for a weather report. Note that 度 (dù) is used as the measure word for “degrees.”
• Example 2:
  • 你能帮我调节一下空调的温度吗？太冷了。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ néng bāng wǒ tiáojié yīxià kōngtiáo de wēndù ma? Tài lěng le.
  • English: Can you help me adjust the air conditioner's temperature? It's too cold.
  • Analysis: A very practical sentence you might use at home, in a hotel, or in a taxi.
• Example 3:
  • 医生，我孩子的温度有点高，是不是发烧了？
  • Pinyin: Yīshēng, wǒ háizi de wēndù yǒudiǎn gāo, shì bùshì fāshāo le?
  • English: Doctor, my child's temperature is a bit high, does he have a fever?
  • Analysis: In a medical context, 温度 is often used interchangeably with 体温 (tǐwēn, body temperature). “温度高” (wēndù gāo) is a common way to say someone has a fever.
• Example 4:
  • 请把烤箱温度设置到180摄氏度。
  • Pinyin: Qǐng bǎ kǎoxiāng wēndù shèzhì dào yībǎi bāshí Shèshìdù.
  • English: Please set the oven temperature to 180 degrees Celsius.
  • Analysis: Shows the use of 温度 in a cooking context. 摄氏度 (Shèshìdù) explicitly states Celsius.
• Example 5:
  • 北方冬天的室外温度很低，常常在零下。
  • Pinyin: Běifāng dōngtiān de shìwài wēndù hěn dī, chángcháng zài língxià.
  • English: The outdoor temperature in the north during winter is very low, often below zero.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates the use of “low temperature” (温度很低) and “below zero” (零下, língxià).
• Example 6:
  • 泡绿茶的水温度不宜过高。
  • Pinyin: Pào lǜchá de shuǐ wēndù bùyí guò gāo.
  • English: The water temperature for brewing green tea should not be too high.
  • Analysis: A culturally relevant example related to tea culture in China.
• Example 7:
  • 随着季节的变化，水的温度也在改变。
  • Pinyin: Suízhe jìjié de biànhuà, shuǐ de wēndù yě zài gǎibiàn.
  • English: As the seasons change, the water's temperature also changes.
  • Analysis: A more formal, scientific statement about temperature.
• Example 8:
  • 这是一座有温度的城市，邻里关系很和谐。
  • Pinyin: Zhè shì yīzuò yǒu wēndù de chéngshì, línlǐ guānxì hěn héxié.
  • English: This is a city with “warmth”; the neighborhood relationships are very harmonious.
  • Analysis: This is a perfect example of the figurative use of 温度 to mean emotional warmth and community spirit.
• Example 9:
  • 他们之间的关系好像温度下降了。
  • Pinyin: Tāmen zhī jiān de guānxì hǎoxiàng wēndù xiàjiàng le.
  • English: It seems the “temperature” of their relationship has dropped.
  • Analysis: A metaphorical use, meaning their relationship has become colder or more distant.
• Example 10:
  • 护士每天给我量两次温度。
  • Pinyin: Hùshì měitiān gěi wǒ liáng liǎng cì wēndù.
  • English: The nurse takes my temperature twice a day.
  • Analysis: Shows the common verb pairing “量温度” (liáng wēndù), which means “to measure/take temperature.”

• 温度 (wēndù) vs. 气温 (qìwēn): This is a key distinction. 气温 (qìwēn) specifically means air temperature and is very common in weather forecasts. While you can often use 温度 to talk about the weather, you cannot use 气温 to talk about your body temperature or the temperature of water.
  • Correct: 今天气温很高。(Jīntiān qìwēn hěn gāo.) - Today's air temperature is high.
  • Correct: 今天温度很高。(Jīntiān wēndù hěn gāo.) - Today's temperature is high.
  • Incorrect: 我的气温有点高。(Wǒ de qìwēn yǒudiǎn gāo.) - This is wrong; you must use 体温 or 温度.
• Don't Forget the Measure Word: When stating a specific temperature, the word for “degree” is 度 (dù). 温度 is the concept; 度 is the unit.
  • Incorrect: The temperature is 25. → 温度是二十五。(Wēndù shì èrshíwǔ.)
  • Correct: The temperature is 25 degrees. → 温度是二十五度。(Wēndù shì èrshíwǔ dù.)
• Celsius is Default: Never assume Fahrenheit. If a Chinese person says it's 35 degrees, they mean 35°C, which is 95°F. They are talking about a heatwave, not a cold day. This is one of the most common practical misunderstandings for Americans.

• 气温 (qìwēn) - Air temperature; used almost exclusively for weather.
• 体温 (tǐwēn) - Body temperature. More specific than using 温度 in a medical context.
• 摄氏度 (Shèshìdù) - Degrees Celsius. The standard unit of temperature measurement in China.
• 华氏度 (Huáshìdù) - Degrees Fahrenheit. Good to know for explaining the difference to Chinese friends.
• 度 (dù) - The measure word for “degree” (for temperature, angles, etc.).
• 温暖 (wēnnuǎn) - An adjective or noun meaning “warm” or “warmth,” usually with a more cozy, comfortable, and emotional connotation than 温 (wēn).
• 热 (rè) - The adjective for “hot.”
• 冷 (lěng) - The adjective for “cold.”
• 天气 (tiānqì) - The general word for “weather,” of which temperature is one aspect.
• 发烧 (fāshāo) - To have a fever. This is the verb, while a high 体温 (tǐwēn) is the symptom.