Wintertime means the winter season, thought of as a stretch of time — in wintertime, during the wintertime. It says almost the same thing as winter, so the natural question is why anyone bothers with the longer word.

Wintertimewintertime means指的是 the winter season冬天這個季節， thought of as a stretch of time被當作一段時間來看待 — in wintertimein wintertime、 during the wintertimeduring the wintertime 這樣用。 It它 says almost the same thing as winter講的意思跟 winter 幾乎一樣， so所以 the natural question自然會讓人想問的問題 is就是 why anyone bothers with the longer word為什麼還要用這個比較長的字。

The answer is feeling and rhythm. Wintertime sounds warmer and more old-fashioned than plain winter; it belongs to songs, stories, memories, and adverts ("a favourite wintertime drink", "back in the wintertime"). It also gently spreads the meaning out over the whole season rather than pointing at one cold period, so it fits sentences about what people usually do or how life usually is: In wintertime the lake freezes over.

The answer答案 is在於 feeling and rhythm語感和節奏。 Wintertimewintertime sounds warmer and more old-fashioned than plain winter聽起來比單純的 winter 更溫暖、更懷舊； it它 belongs to songs, stories, memories, and adverts常出現在歌曲、故事、回憶和廣告裡 ("a favourite wintertime drink", "back in the wintertime")（例如「a favourite wintertime drink」、「back in the wintertime」）。 It它 also gently spreads the meaning out over the whole season也會把意思輕輕地鋪展到整個季節 rather than pointing at one cold period而不是只指某一段特別冷的時間， so所以 it fits sentences很適合用在句子裡 about what people usually do or how life usually is講人們通常會做什麼、生活通常是什麼樣子： In wintertime the lake freezes over.「In wintertime the lake freezes over.」

In plain, practical sentences, winter is the normal choice — you say last winter, not last wintertime, and This winter was cold, not This wintertime was cold. You will see it written as one word, and sometimes as two (winter time) or with a hyphen; one word is the safest.

In plain, practical sentences在平實、實際的句子裡， winterwinter is the normal choice一般會選用它 — you你 say會說 last winterlast winter， not last wintertime不會說 last wintertime， and而 This winter was coldThis winter was cold， not This wintertime was cold不會說 This wintertime was cold。 You你 will see it written as one word會看到它有時候寫成一個字， and而 sometimes as two有時候寫成兩個字 (winter time)（winter time） or或者 with a hyphen加連字號的寫法； one word一個字 is the safest最保險。

Watch out for one other use: in Europe, winter time can mean the clock setting used in the colder months, the opposite of summer time (daylight saving) — that meaning is usually written as two words.

Watch out for one other use要注意還有另一種用法： in Europe在歐洲， winter timewinter time can mean可以指 the clock setting used in the colder months寒冷月份使用的時鐘設定， the opposite of summer time (daylight saving)是 summer time（日光節約時間）的相反 — that meaning這個意思 is usually written as two words通常會寫成兩個字。