Why does Japanese have 50 Words for Rain?

There is a myth that the Eskimos have 50 words for snow, but experts say that this is a lie. On the other hand, the Japanese language has a high number of words to describe rain.

There are at least 50 words for the Japanese to describe rain, and today we are going to examine them. That way you will have an idea of how much the japanese language is complex. Why are there so many words for rain in Japanese?

All of this is a result of amount of kanji which represents rain, water, fall and similar words, not to mention the multiple readings that each ideogram has. Japanese also uses kanji junctions to create words that in English would be sentences.

I hope you make good use of this list of Japanese words for rain. If you like the article, don't forget to share and leave your comments. Follow the list of words below separated by categories.

rain in japanese

Responsive Table: Scroll the table sideways with your finger >>

Kanji	Kana	Romaji	Portuguese
雨	あめ	ame	rain
白雨	はくう	hakuu	rain shower
急雨	きゅう	kyuu	rain shower
俄雨	にわかあめ	niwakaame	rain shower
降雨	こう	kou	rain

Intensity Rain in Japanese

Responsive Table: Scroll the table sideways with your finger >>

弱 雨	じゃくう	jakuu	light rain
小雨	こさめ	Kosame	light rain
小降り	こぶり	koburi	light rain
微雨	びう	biu	light rain
小糠雨	こぬかあめ	konukaame	light rain
煙雨	えんう	enu	light rain
細雨	さいう	It went out	drizzle
多雨	たう	tau	Heavy rain
大雨	おおあめ	woah	Heavy rain
強雨	きょうう	kyouu	heavy rain
横降り	よこぶり	yokoburi	rain
吹き降り	ふきぶり	fukiburi	rain
篠突く雨	しのつくあめ	shinotsukume	heavy rain
集中豪雨	しゅうちゅうごうう	shuuchugouu	severe localized downpour

Japanese rain combos

Responsive Table: Scroll the table sideways with your finger >>

風雨	ふ う	fuu	wind and rain
雨氷	うひょう	uhyou	freezing rain
雨後雪	あめのちゆき	amenochiyuki	rain then snow
雪交じり	ゆきまじり	yukimajiri	snow and rain
雨混じりの雪	あめまじりのゆき	amemajirinoyuki	snow and rain
晴後雨	はれのちあめ	harenochiame	of course, then rain
雨露	うろ	uro	rain and dew

The article is still halfway through, but we recommend also reading:

cold rain in Japanese

Responsive Table: Scroll the table sideways with your finger >>

涼 雨	りょうう	ryouu	cool rain
冷雨	れいう	king	cold rain
寒雨	かんう	Kanu	cold winter rain
氷雨	ひさめ	Hisame	very cold rain or hail

Types of Rain in Japanese

Responsive Table: Scroll the table sideways with your finger >>

夜雨	やう	yau	night rain
梅雨前線	ばいうぜんせん	baiuzensen	seasonal rain
春霖	しゅんりん	shun rin	spring rain
春雨	しゅんう	shun u	soft spring rain
緑雨	りょくう	ryokuu	early summer rain
五月雨	さみだれ	Samidare	early summer rain
秋雨	あきさめ	Akisame	autumn rain
秋霖	しゅうりん	shuu rin	autumn rain
凍雨	とうう	bye	winter rain
十雨	じゅうう	whoo	refreshing rain once in ten days
恵雨	けいう	keiu	welcome rain
人工雨	じんこうう	jinkouu	artificial rain
放射能雨	ほうしゃのうう	houshanouu	radioactive rain
天 泣	てんきゅう	tenkyuu	rain from a cloudless sky

Weather and Rain in Japanese

Responsive Table: Scroll the table sideways with your finger >>

雨模様	あまもよう	love you	rain signs
雨催い	あまもよい	amoyoi	threat of rain
雨上り	あまあがり	amaagari	after the rain
雨後	うご	ugo	after rain
雨間	あまあい	love	break in the rain
晴一時小雨	はれいちじこさめ	hareichijikosame	brief light rain
霖	ながめ	Nagame	long rain
霖雨	りんう	laugh	long rain
長雨	ながめ	Nagame	long rain
陰霖	いんりん	inrin	long rain
夕立	ゆうだち	Yuudachi	sudden rain at night