篠しの突つく雨あめ

し

の

つ

く

あ

め

Meanings

1

expression, noun

pelting rain; pouring rain; driving rain; downpour

A literary or somewhat formal expression for heavy, driving rain. Often used in written descriptions or weather reports.

篠しの突つく雨あめの中なかを、彼かれは傘かさもささずに歩あるいていた。
He was walking without an umbrella in the pelting rain.

今こん夜やは篠しの突つく雨あめになるでしょう。

It will be a driving rain tonight.

Written forms

篠しの突つく雨あめ
Standard kanji spelling for this fixed expression.
しのつく雨あめ
Kana spelling is also used, especially when the kanji 篠 is considered difficult.

Kanji

篠bamboo grass
突stab, protruding, thrust
雨rain

Similar words

土ど砂しゃ降ぶり
土砂降り is a more common, colloquial word for a heavy downpour, while 篠突く雨 is more literary and emphasizes the force of the rain.
大おお雨あめ
大雨 is a general term for heavy rain, whereas 篠突く雨 specifically describes rain that beats down intensely.

Etymology

The expression 篠突く雨 literally means 'rain that pierces like bamboo grass (篠)'. The verb 突く means 'to thrust' or 'to pierce', evoking the image of rain striking forcefully. The exact origin is uncertain, but it is a traditional poetic phrase.