Translation guide
Describes light, fine rain falling steadily. In Japanese, this is commonly expressed with specific verbs, onomatopoeic adverbs, or descriptive phrases.
霧雨が降っています。
It's drizzling.
しとしと雨が降っています。
It's drizzling.
Describe the weather when very fine, light rain is falling.
The most direct and common way to say 'it's drizzling'. 霧雨 (kirisame) means 'drizzle' or 'fine rain', and 降る (furu) means 'to fall' (rain).
外は霧雨が降っている。
It's drizzling outside.
小雨 (kosame) means 'light rain'. It can be used for drizzle, though it may also refer to a light shower. Slightly broader than 霧雨.
霧雨 (kirisame) specifically means drizzle – very fine, mist-like rain. 小雨 (kosame) is light rain in general, which could be drizzle or a light shower. For true drizzle, 霧雨 is more precise.
霧雨で服がしっとり濡れた。
My clothes got damp from the drizzle.
小雨なら傘はいらない。
If it's just light rain, I don't need an umbrella.
Japanese has many onomatopoeic words for rain. しとしと is gentle and steady; ぽつぽつ is sparse and light; ざあざあ is heavy downpour. Using these makes descriptions vivid and natural.
一日中しとしとと雨が降っていた。
A drizzling rain fell all day.
霧雨の中を出かけた。
I went out in the drizzle.
小雨が降り始めた。
A light rain started to fall.
Onomatopoeic adverb describing gentle, quiet, continuous rain. Very natural for drizzling. Often used with 降る.
雨がしとしと降っている。
It's drizzling quietly.
Onomatopoeic adverb for sparse, light raindrops. Implies the rain is just starting or very light. Can be used for drizzle.
雨がぽつぽつ降り出した。
It started to drizzle.
Literally 'rice-bran rain', a poetic term for very fine, mist-like rain. Less common in daily conversation.
ぬか雨が煙るように降っている。
A fine drizzle is falling like mist.