verb HSK 5
shǔ
to escape the summer heat · to spend the summer in a cool place · to summer (in a cooler location)

Meaning

避暑 literally means 'to avoid heat' and refers to the practice of going to cooler places during hot summer months. This could mean traveling to mountain resorts, coastal areas, or simply finding air-conditioned spaces to escape oppressive summer temperatures. It's a common concept in Chinese culture, especially for those living in areas with very hot, humid summers.

Usage

This term is commonly used when discussing summer vacation plans or travel destinations chosen specifically for their cooler climate. Popular 避暑 destinations in China include mountain areas like 庐山 or northern cities. The word often appears in phrases like 避暑胜地 (summer resort) or 避暑山庄 (mountain villa for escaping heat). It's a neutral, standard term used in both spoken and written Chinese.

Examples

  1. 01
    今年夏天我们全家打算去承德避暑
    Jīnnián xiàtiān wǒmen quán jiā dǎsuàn Chéngdé shǔ.
    This summer our whole family plans to go to Chengde to escape the heat.
  2. 02
    这个小镇是著名的避暑胜地,每年都吸引很多游客。
    Zhège xiǎo zhèn shì zhùmíng de shǔ shèng , měi nián dōu xīyǐn hěn duō yóukè.
    This small town is a famous summer resort that attracts many tourists every year.

Characters

Common collocations

  • 避暑胜地
    shǔ shèng
    summer resort, ideal place to escape the heat
  • 避暑山庄
    shǔ shān zhuāng
    mountain resort (for summer)
  • 去...避暑
    ... shǔ
    to go to ... to escape the heat
  • 避暑旅游
    shǔ yóu
    summer heat-escape tourism

Antonyms

Origin

The compound combines 避 (to avoid) with 暑 (summer heat), creating a straightforward descriptive term. The practice of seeking cooler locations during summer has deep roots in Chinese history, with emperors building summer palaces and resorts to escape the heat.

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