Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Get the Kotomora apps for iOS and Android.

Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides About Support Privacy

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

霧雨 (きりさめ) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

霧きり雨さめ

also: きりあめ

き

り

さ

め

Common word›JLPTN1›Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

drizzle; light rain

Fine, mist-like rain; often used in weather forecasts and literary descriptions.

朝あさから霧きり雨さめが降ふっている。

A light rain has been falling since morning.

霧きり雨さめで服ふくがしっとり濡ぬれた。

My clothes got damp from the drizzle.

Usage patterns

霧きり雨さめが降ふるfor a drizzle to fall
朝あさから霧きり雨さめが降ふっている。
A fine drizzle has been falling since morning.
霧きり雨さめに濡ぬれるto get damp from the drizzle
傘かさを忘わすれて霧きり雨さめに濡ぬれてしまった。
I forgot my umbrella and got soaked by the drizzle.
霧きり雨さめの中なかを歩あるくto walk through the drizzle
霧きり雨さめの中なかを黙だまって歩あるいた。
I walked silently through the drizzle.

Kanji

霧fog, mist
雨rain

Related words

小こ雨さめN3
小雨 is a general term for any light rain, while 霧雨 specifically describes very fine, mist-like drizzle.
細さい雨う
細雨 is a literary, formal word for fine rain almost identical to 霧雨, but 霧雨 is more common in everyday and weather-forecast usage.
俄にわか雨あめN3
にわか雨 is a sudden, often heavier shower that starts and stops abruptly, unlike the steady, gentle fall of 霧雨.

Opposites

大おお雨あめN3
大雨 refers to heavy, intense rain, the opposite in intensity to the fine, gentle 霧雨.

Don't confuse with

俄にわか雨あめN3
霧雨 is a fine, misty drizzle that falls gently and steadily, while にわか雨 is a sudden, often heavier shower that starts and stops abruptly.

Written forms

霧雨Usage100%
- きりさめ
  Standard kanji spelling; the reading きりさめ is the most common.
- きりあめ
  Alternate reading; less common than きりさめ.
きりあめ

Etymology

Compound of 霧 (kiri, 'fog, mist') and 雨 (ame, 'rain'), referring to rain that is as fine as mist.