Weather is the safest small talk in Chinese, and HSK 2 gives you enough words to handle it well. A short remark about the rain opens more conversations than most learners expect. By the end of HSK 2 you have 500 words in total, and the weather set is one of the most useful groups.
Start with the phrases you would actually say. Then add the season words once the basic sentences feel automatic.
Today's Weather
The simplest pattern is 今天 + weather word.
- 今天天气很好。The weather is nice today.
- 今天下雨。It is raining today.
- 今天下雪。It is snowing today.
- 今天很热。It is hot today.
- 今天很冷。It is cold today.
天气 (tiānqì) means weather. 下雨 and 下雪 use 下, the same verb as "to fall".
Asking About the Weather
Two questions cover most situations.
- 明天天气怎么样？What will the weather be like tomorrow?
- 外面冷吗？Is it cold outside?
Rain, Wind and Sun
- 雨 (yǔ) rain — 下雨 to rain
- 雪 (xuě) snow — 下雪 to snow
- 风 (fēng) wind — 刮风 to be windy
- 太阳 (tàiyáng) sun
- 晴天 (qíngtiān) sunny day
- 阴天 (yīntiān) cloudy day
刮风 uses 刮, "to scrape or blow". You will hear it in weather reports and in ordinary chat.
The Four Seasons
- 春天 (chūntiān) spring
- 夏天 (xiàtiān) summer
- 秋天 (qiūtiān) autumn
- 冬天 (dōngtiān) winter
All four end in 天, which is why learners often mix them up at first. Learn them as a set of four and say them in order.
A Quick Memory Hook
春夏秋冬 (chūn xià qiū dōng) is a fixed four-word sequence. Chinese speakers say it the way English speakers say "spring, summer, autumn, winter".
Weather and Plans
Weather words sit naturally next to 因为……所以…… (because… so…), one of the first connectors at this level.
- 因为下雨，所以我没去。Because it rained, I did not go.
- 因为太冷了，所以我们在家。Because it was too cold, we stayed home.
Two Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake 1: Confusing 冷 and 凉
冷 (lěng) is cold. 凉 (liáng) is cool, and it is milder. Saying 今天很凉 about a freezing day will sound strange.
Mistake 2: Missing 下 before 雨
雨 is the noun. "It is raining" needs the verb: 下雨. Saying just 雨 as a sentence is incomplete.
Temperature and Degrees
Chinese uses 度 (dù) for degrees, and 零下 (líng xià) for below zero.
- 三十度 thirty degrees
- 零下五度 five below zero
- 温度 (wēndù) temperature
Your Favourite Season
This is a common speaking topic. The pattern is 我最喜欢 + season + 因为……
不……也不…… is a compact way to say neither… nor…. It saves you a whole sentence.
Weather and Clothes
Weather talk often turns into advice about what to wear.
- 穿 (chuān) to wear
- 带 (dài) to bring, to carry
- 伞 (sǎn) umbrella
- 外边 (wàibiān) outside
下雨了，你要带伞。It is raining, so you should bring an umbrella.
What HSK 2 Actually Tests
HSK 2 has 60 questions and takes about 60 minutes. Listening and reading carry 25 questions each. Writing starts here with 10 items in 10 minutes — the first handwriting section in the exam ladder.
Weather appears in the listening section, usually inside a short dialogue rather than on its own.
When these words feel automatic, try a free HSK 2 practice test and browse the other HSK 2 study guides. If you want a routine that fits around a busy week, see how to study HSK 2 vocabulary.
Weather in a Longer Sentence
Once the short phrases feel automatic, join two of them. 今天下雨，所以我没去公园。It is raining today, so I did not go to the park. The 所以 clause is where a weather word earns its place.
How to Practise
Look out of the window each morning and describe the weather in one Chinese sentence. It takes ten seconds and builds the habit fast.