'Jié bīng' literally means 'to form ice' — the character 结 (jié) means 'to form,' 'to coalesce,' or 'to set,' while 冰 (bīng) means 'ice.' Together, they describe the physical process where liquid water turns into solid ice, typically due to cold temperatures. This term is commonly used for natural freezing phenomena: lakes, rivers, puddles, or even moisture on surfaces like car windshields or plant leaves.

The verb is intransitive and often appears with time or condition phrases (e.g., '昨晚气温很低，湖面结冰了'). It’s neutral in register — appropriate in both spoken and written contexts — and frequently appears in weather reports, agricultural advice, and environmental descriptions. Unlike the more technical term 凝固 (nínggù), which refers broadly to solidification of any substance, 结冰 specifically applies only to water turning to ice, making it precise and contextually grounded in observable natural change.