风景 (fēng jǐng) literally combines 风 (fēng, 'wind') and 景 (jǐng, 'view' or 'scene'), but together it means 'scenery' or 'landscape' — the natural or built environment as seen by the eye, especially when aesthetically pleasing. It emphasizes visual beauty and atmosphere, often evoking feelings of tranquility, grandeur, or charm. Unlike the more technical term 地貌 (dìmào, 'topography'), 风景 is used in everyday speech, travel writing, photography, and tourism contexts.

This word typically refers to outdoor scenes — mountains, lakes, gardens, historic towns, or even well-designed urban spaces — where people pause to appreciate beauty. It’s commonly modified by adjectives like 美丽的 (beautiful), 迷人的 (charming), or 壮丽的 (magnificent), and appears in phrases like 风景名胜 (fēngjǐng míngshèng, 'scenic spot') or 风景如画 (fēngjǐng rú huà, 'picturesque'). While it can refer to any view, it carries a positive, appreciative connotation — we don’t call a polluted industrial zone a 风景 unless ironically.