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0Spring is here! In this episode, host Daisy takes you through the most useful and beautiful Chinese words and expressions related to spring (春, chūn). From basic vocabulary to deeper cultural phrases and the famous proverb , you’ll learn how to talk about the season and use these expressions in your daily life.
This episode is perfect for all-level Mandarin learners – we start with simple words and gradually move to more advanced phrases. You can listen, repeat, and practice along the way. Whether you’re in Hangzhou enjoying the spring flowers by West Lake or anywhere else in the world, this episode will help you sound more natural and expressive in Chinese.
🎧 Timestamps & Highlights
00:00:00 – Introduction: Spring in Hangzhou
Daisy welcomes listeners and talks about how beautiful Hangzhou is in spring – flowers blooming, willows turning green. Many Chinese learners say spring is their favorite season because the weather is perfect for going out and practicing Chinese.
00:01:30 – Basic Spring Vocabulary
1. 春 (chūn) – spring
- One of the four seasons: 春chūn (spring), 夏xià (summer), 秋qiū (autumn), 冬dōng (winter)
- Spring represents beginning, hope, and growth
- Example: “春天来了，天气越来越暖和了。” (Spring is here, the weather is getting warmer.)
2. 春节 (chūn jié) – Spring Festival (Chinese New Year)
- The most important holiday in China, usually in January or February
- People go home, have reunion dinner, give red envelopes (红包, hóngbāo)
- After Spring Festival, the new year truly begins.
3. 春风 (chūn fēng) – spring breeze
- A gentle, warm, comfortable wind
- Can also describe a person: someone who is gentle and makes others feel at ease – “他说话像春风一样” (He speaks like a spring breeze)
4. 春游 (chūn yóu) – spring outing
- Going out to enjoy nature in spring
- Schools often organize spring outings for students
- Example: “周末我们一起去春游吧！” (Let’s go on a spring outing together this weekend!)
5. 春假 (chūn jià) – spring break
- A short vacation in spring for students and teachers
- Question for listeners: Does your country have spring break? Where would you like to go?
📖 Useful Vocabulary:
- 季节 (jìjié) – season
- 暖和 (nuǎnhuo) – warm
- 假期 (jiàqī) – vacation / holiday
- 舒服 (shūfu) – comfortable
- 温柔 (wēnróu) – gentle
- 组织 (zǔzhī) – to organize
- 享受 (xiǎngshòu) – to enjoy
💡 Language Tip:
Notice how 春 combines with different characters to form everyday words: 春天, 春节, 春风, 春游, 春假. Learning these compound words is an efficient way to expand your vocabulary!
00:05:30 – Intermediate Spring Expressions
6. 春意 (chūn yì) – the feeling / atmosphere of spring
- 意 (yì) means “feeling” or “sense”
- Similar patterns: 秋意 (autumn feeling), 诗意 (poetic feeling)
- Example: “今天很有春意。” (Today really feels like spring.)
7. 青春 (qīng chūn) – youth
- Refers to young age, typically student years or early career
- Like spring, youth is a time of energy, growth, and beauty – but also short
- Can describe a state of mind: full of vitality
- Example: “不要浪费你的青春。” (Don’t waste your youth.)
- Example: “我的爸爸妈妈唱着年轻时的歌，好像又回到了青春。” (My parents sang songs from their youth and seemed to go back to that time.)
📖 Useful Vocabulary:
- 活力 (huólì) – vitality / energy
- 短暂 (duǎnzàn) – brief / short-lived
- 状态 (zhuàngtài) – state / condition
💡 Language Tip:
春意 is a great pattern: noun + 意 = the feeling of that noun. Try making your own: 画意 (feeling of paintings), 夏意 (feeling of summer). Native speakers will understand you!
00:07:20 – Advanced Proverb: 一年之计在于春
8. 一年之计在于春 (yī nián zhī jì zài yú chūn)
- Literally: “The whole year’s planning depends on spring.”
- Meaning: The beginning of the year is the most important time for making plans. If you start well, the rest will go smoothly.
- Often paired with: “一日之计在于晨” (yī rì zhī jì zài yú chén) – The whole day’s planning depends on the morning.
- This reflects a cultural value: cherish time, plan early, work hard from the start
- Daisy’s note: The same applies to learning Chinese – make a good plan, set goals, and you’ll learn more easily and smoothly.
📖 Useful Vocabulary:
- 计划 (jìhuà) – plan
- 珍惜 (zhēnxī) – to cherish
- 顺利 (shùnlì) – smooth / successful
💡 Language Tip:
This proverb is very common in Chinese culture. You can use it to encourage yourself or others at the beginning of a new project, a new year, or even a new semester of Chinese class!
💬 Join the Conversation
- What is your favorite season? Why?
- What does spring look like where you live?
- Did you learn any new word or expression from this episode?
- Does your country have a “spring break” holiday? Where would you like to go for a spring outing?
Leave a comment on your podcast platform or share your thoughts in your Chinese learning group!
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Coming Up Next: More seasonal vocabulary? Or something else – stay tuned!
