HSK · Level 34
135 words
Chinese word
阴
Pronunciation
Pinyinyīn
Meaning
- adjectivecloudy
Example
外面很阴，我们待在家里吧。wài miàn hěn yīn wǒ men dài zài jiā lǐ ba
It's very cloudy outside, so let's stay home.
More examples
下午可能会变阴，带件外套吧。xià wǔ kě néng huì biàn yīn dài jiàn wài tào ba
It may turn cloudy in the afternoon, so bring a jacket.
Core concept
The sky loses its brightness, and that muted darkness can spread to the feeling of a place or situation.
Common phrases
阴天yīn tiān
cloudy day
天气阴tiān qì yīn
cloudy
Similar words
多云duō yún: Describes a sky filled with clouds that may hide the sun from time to time.
晴qíng: Describes a bright sky with little cloud cover and plenty of sunshine.
Definition in Chinese
指天空多云、阳光被遮挡而天色暗淡的状态，也可指环境或情绪的沉闷。zhǐ tiān kōng duō yún yáng guāng bèi zhē dǎng ér tiān sè àn dàn de zhuàng tài yě kě zhǐ huán jìng huò qíng xù de chén mèn
Word origin
阴 (yīn, "cloudy") traces its meaning to the side of a mountain turned away from the sun, a shaded sense that extended to dark or cloud-covered weather.
Usage tips
- English speakers often expect a weather adjective to describe only the sky, but this word can also characterize the atmosphere of a place or situation, so the surrounding context matters.
Other meanings
- cloudinessnoun
- darkadjective
Opposites
- 晴朗qíng lǎngclearadjective