Mandarin Monday: 15 Essential Autumnal Words and Phrases

We’ve already taken a look at some of the best places in Beijing you can go to view autumn leaves, but what about talking about autumn leaves and other fall-related vocab in Chinese? Well, if you want to brush up on some vocab to talk about the season, here are some essential words and phrases.

1. 秋天 (qiūtiān) – autumn/fall
The most basic word for "autumn" or "fall” is a key term to know. 

Example:  
秋天的天气非常凉爽。(Qiūtiān de tiānqì fēicháng liángshuǎng.)  
"The autumn weather is very cool."

2. 红叶 (hóngyè) – red leaves
Perhaps the most iconic image of autumn is the sight of red leaves blanketing hillsides and city parks. 

Example:  
香山的红叶每年秋天吸引成千上万的游客。(Xiāngshān de hóngyè měinián qiūtiān xīyǐn chéng qiān shàng wàn de yóukè.)  
"The red leaves of Xiangshan attract thousands of visitors every autumn."

3. 枫叶 (fēngyè) – maple leaves
Maple trees are especially famous for their brilliant red and orange leaves in autumn.

Example:  
枫叶在阳光下显得格外耀眼。(Fēngyè zài yángguāng xià xiǎnde géwài yàoyǎn.)  
"The maple leaves look especially dazzling in the sunlight."

4. 金黄 (jīnhuáng) – golden yellow
In addition to the red hues, many trees display golden yellow leaves in autumn, such as the ginkgo tree. 

Example:  
田野里的麦子变得金黄。(Tiányě lǐ de màizi biàn de jīnhuáng.)  
"The wheat in the fields has turned golden."

5. 银杏树 (yínxìng shù) – ginkgo tree
One of the most famous trees in China during autumn is the ginkgo tree. 

Example:  
每年秋天，银杏树的黄叶如金子般闪耀。(Měinián qiūtiān, yínxìng shù de huángyè rú jīnzi bān shǎnyào.)  
"Every autumn, the yellow leaves of the ginkgo tree shine like gold."

6. 落叶 (luòyè) – falling leaves
This term often associated with the peaceful, transient nature of the season and carries connotations of time passing and the natural cycle of life.

Example:  
秋天的时候，街道上铺满了落叶。(Qiūtiān de shíhòu, jiēdào shàng pūmǎn le luòyè.)  
"In autumn, the streets are covered with falling leaves."

7. 枯叶 (kūyè) – withered leaves
This is used to describe leaves that have dried up, turning brown as they decay.

Example:  
风吹着枯叶在地上打转。(Fēng chuīzhe kūyè zài dìshàng dǎ zhuàn.)  
"The wind swirled the withered leaves on the ground."

8. 丰收 (fēngshōu) – harvest
Autumn is also known as the harvest season, when crops are gathered in abundance.

Example:  
农民们在秋天庆祝丰收。(Nóngmín men zài qiūtiān qìngzhù fēngshōu.)  
"Farmers celebrate the harvest in autumn."

9. 桂花 (guìhuā) – osmanthus flower
One of the most beloved flowers in autumn in China is the osmanthus flower. Known for its delicate fragrance, the osmanthus blooms in early autumn and is often used in teas and traditional sweets. 

Example:  
在秋天，街上能闻到桂花的香味。(Zài qiūtiān, jiē shàng néng wén dào guìhuā de xiāngwèi.)  
"In autumn, you can smell the fragrance of osmanthus flowers on the street."

10. 秋意浓 (qiū yì nóng) – the strong sense of autumn
This is a poetic phrase used to describe the deep, rich feeling of autumn. It’s often used in literature and songs to evoke the melancholic yet beautiful mood that comes with the changing season. 

Example:  
随着天气转凉，秋意浓。(Suízhe tiānqì zhuǎn liáng, qiū yì nóng.)  
"As the weather cools, the feeling of autumn grows stronger."

11. 深秋 (shēnqiū) – late autumn
This refers to the latter part of the fall season when the air becomes crisper, and most of the leaves have already fallen. 

Example:  
深秋时节，树叶几乎都落尽了。(Shēnqiū shíjié, shùyè jīhū dōu luò jìnle.)  
"In late autumn, most of the leaves have already fallen."

12. 霜 (shuāng) – frost
In late autumn, frost begins to appear, signaling the approach of winter. 

Example:  
清晨的草地上覆盖着霜。(Qīngchén de cǎodì shàng fùgàizhe shuāng.)  
"The grass is covered with frost in the early morning."

13. 寒露 (Hánlù) – Cold Dew
Cold Dew is one of the traditional solar terms in the Chinese lunar calendar, marking a time when temperatures start to drop significantly and the dew on the ground turns cold. 

Example:  
寒露过后，气温明显下降。(Hánlù guòhòu, qìwēn míngxiǎn xiàjiàng.)  
"After the Cold Dew, the temperature drops significantly."

14. 秋意 (qiūyì) – autumn atmosphere
A poetic term that refers to the the feeling of autumn in the air. 

Example:  
秋意渐浓，树叶纷纷变色。(Qiūyì jiàn nóng, shùyè fēnfēn biànsè.)  
"The feeling of autumn grows stronger as the leaves gradually change color."

15. 层林尽染 (cénglín jìnrǎn) – layers of forest dyed in color
A vivid phrase used to describe the expansive, colorful forests of autumn.

Example:  
秋天的黄山，层林尽染，美不胜收。(Qiūtiān de Huángshān, cénglín jìnrǎn, měi bù shèng shōu.)  
"In autumn, the forests of Huangshan are dyed in layers of color, a breathtaking sight."

READ: View Spectacular Autumn Leaves at These Spots in Beijing

Images: Uni You, Canva Unsplash, Wikimedia Commons