阴
cloudy; overcast; shady
yīn
What does 阴 mean?
阴 (yīn) is the Chinese word for 'overcast / cloudy / shady' — the kind of sky where the sun is fully blocked, not the lighter 多云 (duōyún, 'partly cloudy'). On weather reports, 阴 is the standard label for fully gray days. Beyond weather, 阴 means 'shady / in the shade' (树阴 shùyīn — 'tree shade') and carries the broader cultural concept of yīn from yīn-yáng (阴阳): the cool, dark, feminine, receptive side of dual forces (paired with 阳 yáng — sun, bright, warm, masculine).
阴 also forms compounds with negative connotations like 阴冷 (yīnlěng, 'damp and cold') or 阴险 (yīnxiǎn, 'sinister'), reflecting how 'shadow' and 'cold' link metaphorically. For weather use specifically, just remember: sun out → 晴 (qíng), gray sky → 阴.
Character breakdown
shade; overcast; the dark/cool half of yīn-yáng
Memory hook: The traditional form 陰 has 月 (moon) on the right — 阴 is the moon-side: dark, cool, hidden from the sun.
Example sentences
今天天气很阴。
Jīntiān tiānqì hěn yīn.
The weather is very overcast today.
spoken
明天是阴天，可能下雨。
Míngtiān shì yīn tiān, kěnéng xià yǔ.
Tomorrow is overcast, it might rain.
neutral
天阴了，我们快回家吧。
Tiān yīn le, wǒmen kuài huí jiā ba.
The sky has clouded over, let's go home quickly.
spoken
我们坐在树阴下休息。
Wǒmen zuò zài shù yīn xià xiūxi.
We sat in the tree shade to rest.
neutral
Common phrases with 阴
Synonyms
多云 means 'partly cloudy / many clouds' — the sun still peeks through. 阴 means 'fully overcast' — uniformly gray sky. Weather reports distinguish them clearly.
阴沉 is more vivid: 'gloomy / heavy and gray,' often used for sky AND for a person's facial expression. 阴 is the plain weather word.
Don't confuse 阴 with
The opposite half of 阴阳. 阳 means 'sun / bright / yang side.' Visually similar (both have 阝on the left) but opposite meanings.
Same pronunciation. 音 means 'sound / tone' (声音 — voice). Different character, totally different topic.
Same pinyin. 因 means 'cause / reason' (因为 — because). Watch the third tone difference is none — only the character distinguishes them.
FAQ
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