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阴天 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
阴天yīntiāncloudy dayHSK 2, unknown, 10 strokes, rank #34220, Easy
阴天yīntiānovercast skyHSK 2, unknown, 10 strokes, rank #34220, Easy
yīntiān(yin1tian1)yin tian T1
  1. 1cloudy day
  2. 2overcast sky
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March 24, 2026

阴天(陰天)yīntiān(yin1tian1)

阴天 (yīn tiān) refers to a cloudy or overcast day when the sun is obscured by clouds. It is often used to describe weather conditions that may affect mood or activities, such as feeling gloomy or being less likely to spend time outdoors.

Strokes10Frequency#34220DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, 阴天 can evoke specific feelings associated with traditional poetry and art, often symbolizing melancholy or introspection. The concept of weather impacting mood is deeply rooted in Chinese literary traditions.

Memory Tip

Think of 阴 (yīn) as resembling the dark shadows of clouds, and 天 (tiān) as the sky. Together, they create an image of a sky filled with clouds, blocking the sunlight, which helps you remember the meaning 'cloudy day'.

Meanings of 阴天

yīntiān(yin1tian1)
1cloudy day
2overcast sky
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About 阴天

阴天Simplified
陰天Traditional
10Strokes
—Radical
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L2ElementaryTOCFLL2HSKKL1CEFRA1

Podcast: 阴天

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Podcast: 阴天

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AI Study Notes for 阴天

Quick Contrast

阴天 (cloudy day) vs 多云 (partly cloudy) — use 阴天 for fully overcast conditions, while 多云 indicates some sun may be visible.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 阴天 with 晴天 (qíng tiān), which means sunny day. This term is typically used in everyday conversation and weather reports; however, in formal writing, you might encounter alternatives like 多云 (duō yún), meaning partly cloudy.

HSK Study Tips

While 阴天 isn't explicitly listed in HSK levels, it connects well with weather vocabulary often found in HSK 1 and 2. Focus on using this term in context with other weather-related words to build a broader vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly use 阴天 to describe any rainy day. Remember, 阴天 specifically refers to overcast conditions, while a rainy day would be 雨天 (yǔ tiān).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 阴天

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Component Characters

阴yīnovercast (weather)
HSK 26 strokes阝
View full entry
天tiānday
HSK 14 strokes大
View full entry

How to say cloudy day in Chinese

“cloudy day” in Chinese is阴天yīntiān

阴天 (yīn tiān) refers to a cloudy or overcast day when the sun is obscured by clouds. It is often used to describe weather conditions that may affect mood or activities, such as feeling gloomy or being less likely to spend time outdoors.

When to use 阴天

Be careful not to confuse 阴天 with 晴天 (qíng tiān), which means sunny day. This term is typically used in everyday conversation and weather reports; however, in formal writing, you might encounter alternatives like 多云 (duō yún), meaning partly cloudy.

阴天 or something close to it

阴天 (cloudy day) vs 多云 (partly cloudy) — use 阴天 for fully overcast conditions, while 多云 indicates some sun may be visible.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mistakenly use 阴天 to describe any rainy day. Remember, 阴天 specifically refers to overcast conditions, while a rainy day would be 雨天 (yǔ tiān).

Write 阴天

阴
天

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Frequently Asked Questions about 阴天

You can say, '今天是阴天' (jīntiān shì yīn tiān), meaning 'Today is a cloudy day.'

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