also: つゆしも
Refers to dew that has frozen into ice crystals, often seen on cold mornings.
frost and dew
Poetic or literary term for frost and dew together, often symbolizing the transience of life.
Just as frost and dew vanish easily, so too is human life fleeting.
Archaic metaphorical use; dew and frost were associated with the passage of time. Not used in modern Japanese.
It was cold this morning, and frozen dew had formed on the grass.
In classical poetry, 露霜 is sometimes used to mean years or time.
Standard kanji spelling for the main reading.
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.