薄雾 (báo wù) literally combines 薄 (báo), meaning 'thin' or 'light', and 雾 (wù), meaning 'mist' or 'fog'. Together, they describe a light, translucent mist—less dense than heavy fog (浓雾) but more visible than mere humidity. It often appears at dawn or dusk, especially over rivers, mountains, or lakes, creating a soft, hazy atmosphere.

This word is commonly used in descriptive writing, poetry, weather reports, and travel narratives to evoke quiet, serene, or mysterious natural scenes. Unlike the more general term 雾, which can refer to any misty condition, 薄雾 specifically emphasizes delicacy and translucence. It carries a gentle, sometimes poetic or nostalgic connotation and is rarely used in technical or scientific contexts where precise meteorological terms like 水汽 (water vapor) or 霾 (haze) would apply instead.