How to Say Different Kinds of Rain in Japanese ~ Learn Japanese with Toby ~ 雨

The Many Shades of Rain in Japanese Culture
Japanese has many beautiful words to describe rain. In this video, we’ll explore different ways of describing how it falls, how strong it is, and how it appears in nature and literature.

Describing the strength and amount of rain
*小雨 kosame =light rain / drizzle
*大雨 ooame =heavy rain
弱雨 jakuu =light rain
強雨 kyouu =heavy rain
*霧雨 kirisame & 煙雨 en'u =misty rain / fine drizzle
袖笠雨 sodegasaame =very light drizzle / sprinkling rain
*土砂降り doshaburi =pouring rain / a downpour
*豪雨 gouu =torrential rain
甚雨 jin'u / hisame =severe rain / heavy downpour
盆雨 bon'u =bucketed rain
鉄砲雨 teppou ame =pounding rain / rain like bullets
黒雨 kokuu =dark heavy rain / rain under black skies

Describing how the rain falls
*にわか雨 niwaka ame =shower
急雨 kyuu =sudden rain
暴雨 / 速雨 hayasame =brief downpour
*通り雨 toori ame =passing shower
驟雨 shuu =shower of short duration
白雨 hakuu =sudden evening shower
肘笠雨 hijigasa ame =unexpected sudden rain
村雨 murasame =brief intermittent rain
国風白雨 kokufuuhakuu =strong rain with violent wind
陰雨 in'u =drizzling, gloomy rain
冷雨 reiu =cold rain
私雨 watakushi ame =localised rain falling in a small area

Describing rain which lasts for a long time
*長雨 nagaame =prolonged rain
積雨 sekiu =continuous rain over time
蓮雨 ren'u =rain continuing for many days
霖雨 rin'u =long-lasting rain for several days
宿雨 shukuu =rain that continues from the previous night
漫ろ雨 sozoro ame =light but unending rain
屡雨 shiba ame =intermittent or occasional rain

Describing rain that are literary, metaphorical, or carry emotional nuance
*狐の嫁入り kitsune no yomeiri =sunshower
天泣 tenkyuu =“tears of heaven” (poetic rain falling under clear sky)
涙雨 namida ame =light, sorrowful rain
慈雨 jiu =blessed rain that benefits crops
霊雨 reiu =auspicious or blessed rain desired by people

Describing the visual and auditory features of rain
*雨粒 amatsubu =drops of rain
雨滴 uteki =raindrops (formal/literary)
*雨垂れ amadare =dripping rain (from eaves)
雨露 uro =rain and dew (often poetic)
*雨音 amaoto =sound of rain

Other everyday expressions that include the word “rain”
*雨雲 amagumo =rain cloud(s)
*雨足 amaashi =streaks or motion of rain
*雨上がり ameagari =after the rain
*雨模様 amamoyou =sky about to rain / drizzly weather
*雨天 uten =rainy weather (formal)