<p>冬季 is more formal than 冬天. When used to refer to the season itself, the former is more commonly found in literature, the latter in vernacular.</p>

<p>However, when used to refer to something of that season, i.e. in a noun phrase, the 冬季 form is almost always used. For examples, "winter fashion" is 冬季服装, "Winter Olympics" is <a href="https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%86%AC%E5%AD%A3%E5%A5%A5%E6%9E%97%E5%8C%B9%E5%85%8B%E8%BF%90%E5%8A%A8%E4%BC%9A">冬季奥运会</a>*. You would never use 冬天 for these, unless rephrasing them in a very informal way e.g. 冬天穿的衣服.</p>

<p>*<em>: if they don't get abbreviated awaylike <a href="http://www.zdic.net/c/c/25/59579.htm">冬装</a> or 冬奥, that is.</em></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-16T23:06:11.780Z
2014-02-16T23:06:11.780Z
congusbongus
<p>冬季, more like talking about the season it self, for example "冬季是睡觉的好季节。", "今年冬季假期有 2 个星期"</p>

<p>冬天, commonly used; refer to the <em>time</em> in Winter, such as "今年冬天，我将去北京旅游。"</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-03-03T18:59:29.283Z
2014-03-03T18:59:29.283Z
Jixun
<p>冬天 is much more commonly used in oral. </p>

<p>冬季 sounds very formal and you probably will only see it in a geographic science book or hear from National Geographic show. </p>

<p>Nothing wrong if you use 冬季 when you talk with people, but just sounds formal.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-26T20:15:56.437Z
2017-01-26T20:15:56.437Z
Dan Lu
<p>Yes, 天 means heaven sometimes, but 天 can also mean weather. Most of times, they are both exchangeable.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>冬天真冷-冬季真冷</p>
  
  <p>相约在冬天-相约在冬季</p>
  
  <p>今年冬天不下雪-今年冬季不下雪</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Maybe a native Chinese speaker will find some of the sentences are kind of weird, but people will understand your phrases none less.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-03-14T02:46:33.183Z
2014-03-14T02:46:33.183Z
Ave Maleficum
<p>冬季 (and other season names containing 季) is a formal term, used mainly in writing (书面语). 冬天 is a frequently used term. In practice, I guess it should be OK if you recognise both, and use the latter.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-16T13:21:06.007Z
2014-02-16T13:21:06.007Z
米好 '-'
<p>季 = Season
冬 = Winter, Cool
...</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-03-18T08:18:51.470Z
2014-03-18T08:18:51.470Z
mjb
<p>There seem to be two words for each season. Each pair has the first character in common but for the second character one will have 季 (jì) and the other will have 冬天 (tiān).</p>

<p>For example "winter" is:</p>

<ul>
<li>冬季 (dōngjì) </li>
<li>冬天 (dōngtiān)</li>
</ul>

<p>What is the difference between the two? I can see the first uses the character for "season" and the second uses the character for "heaven", but this doesn't seem to tell me anything useful.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-16T08:24:44.633Z
No idea why this got down voted, let me zero that out. As always can down voters please indicate in comments what is wrong with a question as to me it aligns with the guidelines in the helpcenter
50-3
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-16T08:26:18.040Z
i believe that both mean "winter" not spring
C_Intermediate_Learner
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-16T08:28:31.260Z
@C_Intermediate_Learner: Thanks! I was working on entries for both "spring" and "winter" on Wiktionary and with my overloaded little computer got the wrong one (-:
hippietrail
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-16T08:31:52.363Z
@hippietrail From what I have learnt, they have the same meaning (winter), but when used in sentences, people most oftenly say 冬天
C_Intermediate_Learner
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-16T08:42:18.113Z
Literally, 冬季 = winter (season), and 冬天 = winter days. There's also a more elegant phrase 冬日 for 冬天. To me, 冬季 sounds "scientific", it expresses the season time accurately. 冬日 is literary so I don't often hear it in spoken language. And 冬天 is so common that I can hear/see it everywhere.
Stan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-16T10:31:36.823Z
@Stan: It looks like you have the answer I was looking for. If you write it up as an answer I'll accept it.
hippietrail
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-16T11:54:34.283Z
@hippietrail: every "answer" I put in the comments must be an incomplete or subjective answer that I haven't got enough time to verify it in reference material (i.e. it might be misleading). So please wait for a better answer :D
Stan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-16T13:38:10.147Z
冬季 is never spoken. It's only written.
amateur
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-18T01:57:55.057Z
@amateur, No, like the sample in congusbongus's, you have to use 冬季奥运会 (winter olympics)，no other choice.
Bill
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-18T01:58:36.527Z
I agree @stan's comments, if you answer it, I will vote it up.
Bill
<word-choice><vocabulary><synonyms><difference>
Differences between the two words for each season, such as 冬季 (dōngjì) and 冬天 (dōngtiān)
# Differences between the two words for each season, such as 冬季 (dōngjì) and 冬天 (dōngtiān)

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-02-16)

There seem to be two words for each season. Each pair has the first character in common but for the second character one will have 季 (jì) and the other will have 冬天 (tiān).

For example "winter" is:

* 冬季 (dōngjì)
* 冬天 (dōngtiān)

What is the difference between the two? I can see the first uses the character for "season" and the second uses the character for "heaven", but this doesn't seem to tell me anything useful.

**Tags:** word-choice, vocabulary, synonyms, difference
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: No idea why this got down voted, let me zero that out. As always can down voters please indicate in comments what is wrong with a question as to me it aligns with the guidelines in the helpcenter  
> **username_2**: i believe that both mean "winter" not spring  
> **username_0**: @C_Intermediate_Learner: Thanks! I was working on entries for both "spring" and "winter" on Wiktionary and with my overloaded little computer got the wrong one (-:  
> **username_2**: @hippietrail From what I have learnt, they have the same meaning (winter), but when used in sentences, people most oftenly say 冬天  
> **username_3**: Literally, 冬季 = winter (season), and 冬天 = winter days. There's also a more elegant phrase 冬日 for 冬天. To me, 冬季 sounds "scientific", it expresses the season time accurately. 冬日 is literary so I don't often hear it in spoken language. And 冬天 is so common that I can hear/see it everywhere.  
> **username_0**: @Stan: It looks like you have the answer I was looking for. If you write it up as an answer I'll accept it.  
> **username_3**: @hippietrail: every "answer" I put in the comments must be an incomplete or subjective answer that I haven't got enough time to verify it in reference material (i.e. it might be misleading). So please wait for a better answer :D  
> **username_4**: 冬季 is never spoken. It's only written.  
> **username_5**: @amateur, No, like the sample in congusbongus's, you have to use 冬季奥运会 (winter olympics)，no other choice.  
> **username_5**: I agree @stan's comments, if you answer it, I will vote it up.  

---

## 6 answers

### Answer by username_6 on 2014-02-16. Score: 11

冬季 is more formal than 冬天. When used to refer to the season itself, the former is more commonly found in literature, the latter in vernacular.

However, when used to refer to something of that season, i.e. in a noun phrase, the 冬季 form is almost always used. For examples, "winter fashion" is 冬季服装, "Winter Olympics" is [冬季奥运会](https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%86%AC%E5%AD%A3%E5%A5%A5%E6%9E%97%E5%8C%B9%E5%85%8B%E8%BF%90%E5%8A%A8%E4%BC%9A)\*. You would never use 冬天 for these, unless rephrasing them in a very informal way e.g. 冬天穿的衣服.

\**: if they don't get abbreviated awaylike [冬装](http://www.zdic.net/c/c/25/59579.htm) or 冬奥, that is.*


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### Answer by username_7 on 2014-03-03. Score: 2

冬季, more like talking about the season it self, for example "冬季是睡觉的好季节。", "今年冬季假期有 2 个星期"

冬天, commonly used; refer to the *time* in Winter, such as "今年冬天，我将去北京旅游。"


---

### Answer by username_8 on 2017-01-26. Score: 2

冬天 is much more commonly used in oral.

冬季 sounds very formal and you probably will only see it in a geographic science book or hear from National Geographic show.

Nothing wrong if you use 冬季 when you talk with people, but just sounds formal.


---

### Answer by username_9 on 2014-03-14. Score: 2

Yes, 天 means heaven sometimes, but 天 can also mean weather. Most of times, they are both exchangeable.

> 冬天真冷-冬季真冷
>
> 相约在冬天-相约在冬季
>
> 今年冬天不下雪-今年冬季不下雪

Maybe a native Chinese speaker will find some of the sentences are kind of weird, but people will understand your phrases none less.


---

### Answer by username_10 on 2014-02-16. Score: 1

冬季 (and other season names containing 季) is a formal term, used mainly in writing (书面语). 冬天 is a frequently used term. In practice, I guess it should be OK if you recognise both, and use the latter.


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### Answer by username_11 on 2014-03-18. Score: 0

季 = Season
冬 = Winter, Cool
...


---

