<p>Atmosphere is not just the aerosol we live and breath in. Figuratively, atmosphere and climate mean &quot;mood&quot;.</p>
<p>&quot;There was an icy atmosphere in the room.&quot;</p>
<p>I think some writers have taken this English meaning and used the Chinese word in that sense. Maybe they should use 气氛 or 局势。</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Atmosphere: the pervading tone or mood of a place, situation, or work
of art:</p>
<p>&quot;the hotel is famous for its friendly, welcoming atmosphere&quot; ·</p>
<p>&quot;this crisis further compounded the prevailing atmosphere of gloom&quot;</p>
</blockquote>
<p>气候：（局势） climate; situation:<br />
political climate/atmosphere;<br />
政治气候<br />
a climate/atmosphere of political unrest<br />
动荡的政治气候</p>
<p>当时的宗教气候（局势）容不得新思想。</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-06-29T23:22:44.580Z
2023-06-29T23:22:44.580Z
Pedroski
<blockquote>
<p>Question: Can 气候 literally or non-literally mean &quot;atmosphere&quot;?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>气候 cannot be translated as &quot;atmosphere&quot; literally or non-literally</p>
<p>&quot;Atmosphere&quot; can figuratively mean 气氛 or 氛围 (mainland Chinese)
. Maybe ChatGLM confused 气候 with 气氛</p>
<p>the non-literal meaning of 气候 is &quot;influence&quot; as in 不成气候 (no influence; not a factor)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-06-29T02:39:13.303Z
2023-06-29T02:39:13.303Z
Tang Ho
<blockquote>
<p>Question: Can 气候 literally or non-literally mean &quot;atmosphere&quot;?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Answer is no.</p>
<p>We usually say <strong>气候问题</strong>(such as temperature raise) in English is <strong>climate issue</strong></p>
<p>See below picture:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/Xx4V7.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Xx4V7.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p>atmosphere in Chinese usually means: 大气；空气；大气圈</p>
<p>Such as:</p>
<pre><code>The burning of fossil fuels results in the pollution of the atmosphere.
矿物燃料的燃烧导致了大气污染。

The atmosphere of the city is very much polluted.
那个城市的空气受到严重污染。
</code></pre>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-06-29T09:00:06.867Z
2023-06-29T09:00:06.867Z
Tom
<p>It can be used for a figurative climate/situation in cantonese alongside its literal climate meaning, although I don't believe its really used that way in standard chinese.</p>
<p>While I don't believe atmosphere ever actually applies to the meaning of this word, I can think of nonliteral climate/situations that could be described with atmosphere in english.  I believe this is where the definition is coming from.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-06-29T20:34:40.557Z
2023-06-29T20:34:40.557Z
zagrycha
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?wdqb=%E6%B0%94%E5%80%99" rel="nofollow noreferrer">CC-CEDICT</a>: 气候 (qì​hòu​) climate / atmosphere / situation / CL: 種｜种</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I'm puzzled as to why &quot;atmosphere&quot; is listed here.  Literally, an atmosphere is a gaseous layer that surrounds a planet, usually corresponding to 大气 in Chinese.  I don't think 气候 can literally mean &quot;atmosphere&quot;.  Perhaps 气候 can mean &quot;atmosphere&quot; in a non-literal sense (e.g., &quot;a tense atmosphere&quot;), but I'd use 气氛 here.</p>
<p><strong>Question</strong>: Can 气候 literally or non-literally mean &quot;atmosphere&quot;?</p>
<p>I asked <a href="https://chatglm.cn" rel="nofollow noreferrer">ChatGLM</a> for an example where 气候 means &quot;atmosphere&quot;, but it gave me examples where it means &quot;climate&quot;.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-06-29T02:33:58.287Z
I think you are correct.
r13
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-07-09T23:58:38.630Z
I sent the CC-CEDICT editor(s) a link to this post, and they changed the definition to:  `(meteorology) climate / (fig.) climate; prevailing conditions (in human affairs) / CL: 種｜种`.
Becky 李蓓
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-07-10T00:53:03.280Z
Glad to know. Good work.
r13
<meaning><word>
Can 气候 literally or non-literally mean "atmosphere"?
# Can 气候 literally or non-literally mean "atmosphere"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-06-29)

> [CC-CEDICT](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?wdqb=%E6%B0%94%E5%80%99): 气候 (qì​hòu​) climate / atmosphere / situation / CL: 種｜种

I'm puzzled as to why "atmosphere" is listed here. Literally, an atmosphere is a gaseous layer that surrounds a planet, usually corresponding to 大气 in Chinese. I don't think 气候 can literally mean "atmosphere". Perhaps 气候 can mean "atmosphere" in a non-literal sense (e.g., "a tense atmosphere"), but I'd use 气氛 here.

**Question**: Can 气候 literally or non-literally mean "atmosphere"?

I asked [ChatGLM](https://chatglm.cn) for an example where 气候 means "atmosphere", but it gave me examples where it means "climate".

**Tags:** meaning, word

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I think you are correct.  
> **username_0**: I sent the CC-CEDICT editor(s) a link to this post, and they changed the definition to:  `(meteorology) climate / (fig.) climate; prevailing conditions (in human affairs) / CL: 種｜种`.  
> **username_1**: Glad to know. Good work.  

---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2023-06-29. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

Atmosphere is not just the aerosol we live and breath in. Figuratively, atmosphere and climate mean "mood".

"There was an icy atmosphere in the room."

I think some writers have taken this English meaning and used the Chinese word in that sense. Maybe they should use 气氛 or 局势。

> Atmosphere: the pervading tone or mood of a place, situation, or work
> of art:
>
> "the hotel is famous for its friendly, welcoming atmosphere" ·
>
> "this crisis further compounded the prevailing atmosphere of gloom"

气候：（局势） climate; situation:  
political climate/atmosphere;  
政治气候  
a climate/atmosphere of political unrest  
动荡的政治气候

当时的宗教气候（局势）容不得新思想。


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2023-06-29. Score: 1

> Question: Can 气候 literally or non-literally mean "atmosphere"?

气候 cannot be translated as "atmosphere" literally or non-literally

"Atmosphere" can figuratively mean 气氛 or 氛围 (mainland Chinese)
. Maybe ChatGLM confused 气候 with 气氛

the non-literal meaning of 气候 is "influence" as in 不成气候 (no influence; not a factor)


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2023-06-29. Score: 1

> Question: Can 气候 literally or non-literally mean "atmosphere"?

Answer is no.

We usually say **气候问题**(such as temperature raise) in English is **climate issue**

See below picture:

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/Xx4V7.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/Xx4V7.png)

atmosphere in Chinese usually means: 大气；空气；大气圈

Such as:

```
The burning of fossil fuels results in the pollution of the atmosphere.
矿物燃料的燃烧导致了大气污染。

The atmosphere of the city is very much polluted.
那个城市的空气受到严重污染。

```


---

### Answer by username_5 on 2023-06-29. Score: 1

It can be used for a figurative climate/situation in cantonese alongside its literal climate meaning, although I don't believe its really used that way in standard chinese.

While I don't believe atmosphere ever actually applies to the meaning of this word, I can think of nonliteral climate/situations that could be described with atmosphere in english. I believe this is where the definition is coming from.


---

