冷たい vs 寒い vs 涼しい: What is the Difference?
What is the difference between “冷たい, 寒い, and 涼しい”? They have subtle differences. If you go out and it is chilly, which is correct: 冷たい, 寒い or 涼しい”? What about “cold”?After reading this, you would be answering this question. Let me introduce what their subtle differences are and how you correctly use them such as native speakers today!
冷たい (tsumetai)
Cold / 冰凉 / 차가운 / Lạnh
“冷たい” means “Cold” and which has been used as the meaning of “at a low temperature, or not showing kindness, love, or emotion”. “冷たい” can describe something or temperature itself, or a person’s personality, unlike “寒い” and “涼しい”. The basic way to use it is “___(something/people)は/が冷たいです”. For instance, “この氷は冷たいです。(This ice is cold.)”, “この水は冷たいです。(This water is cold.)”, “彼は冷たいです。(He is cold.)” etc. Only “冷たい” which can describe “the person’s personality” in three words. Also 冷たい is a bit more like icy/chilly/freezing than just cold.


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Intermediate
Advanced


寒い (samui)
Chilly, Cold / 寒冷 / 추운 / Lạnh, Rét
“寒い” means “Chilly / Cold” and which has been used as the meaning of “Something that is chilly is unpleasantly cold”. “寒い” can describe only whether or climate, not to describe a person’s personality, unlike “冷たい”. The basic way to use it is “___(something)は/が寒いです” such as “今日は寒いです。(It is chilly/cold today.). Also, 寒い can describe a kind of human sense which is one of the slang, however, it is not the dirty word. So when your friend tells jokes and it is not that funny, you would be able to say “寒い(笑)” or “寒っ(笑)”.



涼しい (suzushii)
Cool / 凉爽 / 시원한 / Mát mẻ
“涼しい” means “Cool” and which has been used as the meaning of “a temperature that is slightly cold in a pleasant way”. “涼しい” can describe only whether or climate, not to describe the person’s personality, unlike “冷たい”. The basic way to use it is “___(something)は/が涼しいです” such as “今日は涼しいです。(It is cool today.). The difference between “寒い” and “涼しい” is that “寒い” is used in an unpleasant way and “涼しい” is used in a pleasant way for only whether or climate. Furthermore “冷たい” is used for something or temperature itself, and the person’s personality.



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