空气 kōngqì air
How to remember 空气: 空 empty + 气 air = air.
Characters
How it is used
- Air (the stuff we breathe / the atmosphere) - 空气很新鲜 (kōngqì hěn xīnxiān) the air is fresh, 空气污染 (kōngqì wūrǎn) air pollution.
- Also figurative 'atmosphere/mood' of a place, though 气氛 (qìfēn) is the usual word for that.
- 空 here is read kōng (empty), not kòng (free time); 空气 = 'empty-space qi'.
Example sentences
- 空气有点冷。 Kōngqì yǒudiǎn lěng.The air felt a little cold.
- 我需要新鲜空气。 Wǒ xūyào xīnxiānkōngqì.I need fresh air.
- 野外的空气真好。 Yěwài de kōngqì zhēn hǎo.The air in the countryside is really good.