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March 24, 2026
下雨xiàyǔ(xia4yu3)
下雨 (xià yǔ) means 'to rain' in Mandarin. It is commonly used to describe the weather when rain is falling. This expression combines the character 下, meaning 'to fall' or 'to go down', with 雨, which means 'rain'.
Frequency#6507DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
Weather plays a significant role in Chinese culture and agriculture, influencing festivals and daily life. The phrase 下雨 may remind learners of the importance of rain in farming communities, especially in rural China.
Memory Tip
Imagine the rain 'falling down' (下) from the sky, creating puddles. The character 雨 resembles a droplet shape, helping you visualize droplets of rain falling down.
Meanings of 下雨
xiàyǔ(xia4yu3)
1to rain
2rainy
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 下雨
下雨Simplified
—Strokes
—Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#6507Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L1HSK 3.0L1ElementaryTOCFLL1HSKKL1CEFRA1
Podcast: 下雨
Podcast: 下雨
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AI Study Notes for 下雨
Quick Contrast
雨 (yǔ, rain) vs 下雪 (xiàxuě, to snow) — use 下雨 when referring specifically to rain, not snow.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine the rain 'falling down' (下) from the sky, creating puddles. The character 雨 resembles a droplet shape, helping you visualize droplets of rain falling down.
Usage Notes
Be mindful of the tone when using 下雨, as both characters have falling tones. A common mistake is to confuse it with the phrase 下雪 (xià xuě), which means 'to snow'. This term is informal, often used in everyday conversation.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK 1 word, 下雨 is foundational for weather-related vocabulary. Students should practice using it in sentences to describe current weather conditions, which helps connect with other beginner words like 晴天 (qíng tiān, sunny day) or 阴天 (yīn tiān, cloudy day).
Cultural Note
Weather plays a significant role in Chinese culture and agriculture, influencing festivals and daily life. The phrase 下雨 may remind learners of the importance of rain in farming communities, especially in rural China.
Common Mistakes
Learners often forget to include the tone marks in pinyin, mispronouncing it as 'xia yu' instead of 'xià yǔ'. Additionally, some may use it inappropriately in non-weather contexts, where it's not applicable.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 下雨
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Grammar Patterns of 下雨
下雨 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Weather plays a significant role in Chinese culture and agriculture, influencing festivals and daily life. The phrase 下雨 may remind learners of the importance of rain in farming communities, especially in rural China.
Frequently Asked Questions about 下雨
You can say '现在下雨吗？' (Xiànzài xià yǔ ma?) which means 'Is it raining now?'.
Yes, 下雨 can be used for any kind of rain, but you might specify light rain as 小雨 (xiǎo yǔ) and heavy rain as 大雨 (dà yǔ).
