How to say “cold” in Chinese
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Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Word by word
Tone tip
A dipping third tone on its own. Before another third tone it rises instead: 冷水 (cold water) is said léng shuǐ. 'I'm cold' is 我很冷 (wǒ hěn lěng). 凉 (liáng) is the milder 'cool', as in a cool breeze.
In a sentence
Wàimiàn hěn lěng, duō chuān diǎn.
It's cold outside, put more on.
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
How do you say "cold" in Chinese?+
"cold" in Mandarin Chinese is 冷, pronounced lěng. A dipping third tone on its own. Before another third tone it rises instead: 冷水 (cold water) is said léng shuǐ. 'I'm cold' is 我很冷 (wǒ hěn lěng). 凉 (liáng) is the milder 'cool', as in a cool breeze.
What does 冷 mean literally?+
冷 breaks down as 冷 (lěng) = cold. Together it means "cold".
How do I get the tones right in lěng?+
A dipping third tone on its own. Before another third tone it rises instead: 冷水 (cold water) is said léng shuǐ. 'I'm cold' is 我很冷 (wǒ hěn lěng). 凉 (liáng) is the milder 'cool', as in a cool breeze.
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