• 寒さむい — cold (weather)
• 寒気かんき — chill, cold air
• 寒村かんそん — poor rural village
• 寒中かんちゅう — midwinter
• 寒波かんぱ — cold wave
• 寒冷かんれい — cold and chilliness

寒 is composed of 宀 (roof), 人 (person), and 冫 (ice) — suggesting someone staying inside due to the cold. The character conveys the feeling of physical coldness or seasonal chill.

今朝けさは 寒さむかったですね。
It was cold this morning, wasn’t it?

寒気さむけがして、風邪かぜを引ひいたかもしれません。
I feel a chill — I might have caught a cold.

🎧 Pronunciation guide for さむい is available below.