summertime; summer season
Refers to the summer period, often with a nuance of the hot season or the time when summer-specific activities occur.
Air conditioning is essential during the summertime.
This beach gets crowded with tourists in the summer season.
When summer comes, demand for air conditioners surges.
The heat of the summer season is hard on the body.
Let's stay well hydrated to get through the summer season.
真夏 refers to the peak of summer with the most intense heat, whereas 夏場 covers the broader summer season including its early and late parts.
夏場 refers to the hot summer period, while 冬場 refers to the cold winter period, forming a direct seasonal contrast.
Compound of 夏 (summer) and 場 (place/occasion), literally 'summer occasion', referring to the summer period.