noun
snow child; winter spirit
A child-like yōkai or spirit associated with snow, appearing in Japanese folklore. Often depicted as a small figure in a straw raincoat or as a snowball-like being.
雪ん子は、雪の降る夜に現れると言われている。
The snow child is said to appear on snowy nights.
この地方には、雪ん子にまつわる昔話が残っている。
In this region, old tales about the snow child have been passed down.
The term 雪ん子 is a compound of 雪 (snow) and ん子, a dialectal or colloquial variant of の子 (child of). The exact origin is uncertain, but it likely arose in regional folklore to describe a child-like snow spirit.