also: つゆしも
noun
Refers to dew that has frozen into ice crystals, often seen on cold mornings.
今朝は冷え込んで、草の上に露霜が降りていた。
It was cold this morning, and frozen dew had formed on the grass.
noun
frost and dew
Poetic or literary term for frost and dew together, often symbolizing the transience of life.
露霜の消えやすいように、人の命もはかない。
Just as frost and dew vanish easily, so too is human life fleeting.
noun
Archaic metaphorical use; dew and frost were associated with the passage of time. Not used in modern Japanese.
古歌では「露霜」を年月の意味で詠むことがある。
In classical poetry, 露霜 is sometimes used to mean years or time.
Obsolete reading; the kanji form is the same but pronounced differently.
Compound of 露 (つゆ, dew) and 霜 (しも, frost). The reading つゆじも is the standard modern form; つゆしも is an older reading. The archaic sense 'years' derives from the traditional poetic association of dew and frost with the passage of time.