Japanese word

あられ

Pronunciation

Romajiarare

Meaning

  • nounhail

Example

小さなあられが降っています。chii sa na a ra re ga fu tte i ma su

Small hail is falling.

Illustration for あられ (hail)

More examples

天気予報によると、午後はあられが降るそうです。ten ki yo hō ni yo ru to go go wa a ra re ga fu ru sō de su

According to the weather forecast, it is expected to hail in the afternoon.

Core concept

Refers to small balls of ice that fall from clouds as solid precipitation.

Common phrases

  • あられの音a ra re no oto

    the sound of hail

Similar words

ひょうhyō: Balls of ice larger than 5 millimeters that form in storm clouds and fall as precipitation.
みぞれmizore: Rain and melting snow that fall together when the air is near freezing.

Definition in Japanese

雲から降る、直径五ミリメートル未満の小さな氷の粒。kumo ka ra fu ru chok kei go mi ri mē to ru mi man no chii sa na kōri no tsubu

Word origin

あられ (arare) is a native Japanese weather word, while 霰 (san, "hail") is the established kanji spelling; no secure etymology for the word is known.

Usage tips

  • The hiragana form あられ (arare) can also refer to small rice crackers, so context distinguishes the weather term from the food.

Other meanings

  • graupelnoun

Word lists with this word