Japanese word

夕立

Pronunciation

Romajiyūdachi

Meaning

  • nounsudden shower

Example

夏の午後に夕立が降ります。natsu no go go ni yū dachi ga fu ri ma su

There is a sudden shower on a summer afternoon.

Illustration for 夕立 (sudden shower)

More examples

駅を出たとたん、夕立に降られました。eki o de ta to ta n yū dachi ni fu ra re ma shi ta

As soon as I left the station, I was caught in a sudden shower.

Core concept

Describes a brief burst of rain that appears suddenly as the day moves toward evening.

Common phrases

  • 夕立に遭うyū dachi ni a u

    encounter a sudden shower

  • 夕立に降られるyū dachi ni fu ra re ru

    be caught in a sudden shower

  • 夕立が上がるyū dachi ga a ga ru

    a sudden shower lets up

Similar words

にわか雨niwakaame: A short rain shower that starts suddenly and may occur in any season.
通り雨tōriame: A brief shower that passes quickly over a particular place.

Definition in Japanese

夏の午後から夕方にかけて、突然降り始めてすぐにやむ激しい雨。natsu no go go ka ra yū gata ni ka ke te totsu zen fu ri haji me te su gu ni ya mu hage shi i ame

Word origin

夕立 (yūdachi) combines 夕 (yū, "evening") with 立ち (tachi, "rising" or "occurrence"), a noun form of 立つ (tatsu, "to rise" or "occur"). The compound names rain that suddenly occurs in the evening.

Usage tips

  • Japanese weather reports often use 夕立 (yūdachi) for a short summer rain that can begin while the surrounding sky still looks bright.

Other meanings

  • evening showernoun

Word lists with this word