3 · 41 words
Weather and climate
Climate, the forecast, and the weather beyond plain sun and rain.
The first weather words name the state of the sky; these describe how the weather feels and what the forecast says. Forecast words are compact: 阵雨 is a passing shower and 雷阵雨 one with thunder. Watch the verbs, which English does not predict: rain and frost "come down" with 下, thunder is "struck" with 打, and fog is not thick but big: 雾很大.
The words
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Verb (9)
预报to forecast; forecastVerb3
预报说下午有阵雨，最好带把伞。The forecast says there will be showers in the afternoon, so you had better take an umbrella.
打雷to thunderVerb3
外面在打雷，孩子有点儿害怕。It is thundering outside, and the child is a little scared.
Thunder is "struck": 打了一个雷, there was a clap of thunder.
结冰to freeze overVerb3
天太冷了，湖面都结冰了。It is so cold that the surface of the lake has frozen over.
冻to freeze; to be frozenVerb3
我在外面等了半个小时，手都冻红了。I waited outside for half an hour, and my hands went red with the cold.
晒to be in the sun; to dry in the sun; to get sunburntVerb3
她在海边晒了一个下午，脸都红了。She spent the whole afternoon in the sun at the seaside, and her face went red.
淋to drench; to get soakedVerb3
下班时我被大雨淋湿了。On my way home from work I got soaked by the heavy rain.
降温to get colder; (of temperature) to dropVerb3
明天开始降温，记得多穿点儿衣服。It gets colder from tomorrow, so remember to wear more layers.
升温to get warmer; (of temperature) to riseVerb3
五月以后天气开始升温。After May the weather starts to get warmer.
变天(of the weather) to changeVerb3
刚才还是晴天，怎么突然变天了？It was sunny a moment ago; how has the weather suddenly turned?
This list belongs to Nature, weather and the environment — nine lists and 361 words that can also be practised as a whole.
Practise this list
Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 41 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.