寒假 (hán jià) literally means 'cold holiday' — 寒 (hán) means 'cold' or 'winter', and 假 (jià) means 'vacation' or 'leave'. Together, they refer specifically to the winter break in the Chinese academic calendar, typically lasting about four weeks from mid-January to mid-February, overlapping with the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year). It is one of two major school holidays in China, the other being 暑假 (shǔ jià), the summer vacation.

This term is used almost exclusively in educational contexts — by students, teachers, parents, and schools — to discuss schedules, travel plans, homework, or family reunions. While 'winter vacation' is the standard English equivalent, note that 寒假 is not used for general winter holidays unrelated to schooling (e.g., a ski trip in December would not be called 寒假). The word carries strong cultural associations with family gatherings, red envelopes, and traditional festivals.