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俄雨 (niwakaame) Japanese meaning: rain shower | Kotomora

俄にわか雨あめ

に

わ

か

あ

め

JLPTN3›Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

1

rain shower; sudden rainfall

Refers to a brief, often unexpected rain shower. Commonly used in weather forecasts and everyday conversation.

午ご後ごはにわか雨あめが降ふるかもしれません。

There may be a rain shower in the afternoon.

にわか雨あめに降ふられて、服ふくが濡ぬれてしまった。

I got caught in a sudden shower and my clothes got wet.

Usage patterns

〈場ば所しょ〉でにわか雨あめが降ふるa sudden rain shower falls in 〈場所〉
午ご後ご、公こう園えんでにわか雨あめが降ふった。
A sudden shower fell in the park in the afternoon.
にわか雨あめに遭あうto get caught in a sudden rain shower
買かい物ものの帰かえりににわか雨あめに遭あった。
I got caught in a sudden shower on my way back from shopping.
にわか雨あめに降ふられるto be caught (soaked) by a sudden rain shower
傘かさを持もっていなかったので、にわか雨あめに降ふられてしまった。
I didn't have an umbrella, so I got soaked by a sudden shower.
にわか雨あめがやむa sudden rain shower stops
しばらくしてにわか雨あめがやんだ。
After a while, the sudden shower stopped.

Kanji

雨rain
俄sudden, abrupt, improvised

Related words· 6

夕ゆう立だちN2
夕立 refers specifically to a sudden shower on a summer evening, while にわか雨 is a general term for any brief, unexpected rain shower at any time of year.
通とおり雨あめ
通り雨 emphasizes the rain quickly passing through an area, whereas にわか雨 simply describes a sudden, brief rainfall without stressing its movement.
シャワーN5
にわか雨 is the native Japanese term for a sudden downpour, while シャワー is a loanword that can mean either a bathing shower or, less commonly, a passing rain shower.
スコール
にわか雨 is a general term for a sudden shower anywhere in Japan, while スコール specifically evokes the intense tropical downpour with strong wind typical of Southeast Asia.

Show 2 more

時雨しぐれN1
にわか雨 is a sudden, short rain shower that can occur in any season, while 時雨 specifically refers to the brief showers typical of late autumn or early winter with a poetic, seasonal nuance.
霧きり雨さめN1
にわか雨 is a sudden, often heavier shower that starts and stops abruptly, unlike the steady, gentle fall of 霧雨.

Don't confuse with

霧きり雨さめN1
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.
小こ雨さめN3
にわか雨 is a sudden, often brief shower that can be heavy, whereas 小雨 specifically means the rain is light in intensity.

Written forms

俄にわか雨あめUsage8%
Standard kanji spelling; the 俄 kanji is a jōyō kanji, and this form is marked as high priority.
にわか雨あめUsage92%
Common mixed kanji-kana spelling that makes the reading clear.
俄にわか雨あめ
Variant with okurigana; less common but still seen.

Etymology

Compound of にわか (sudden, abrupt) and 雨 (rain). The kanji 俄 carries the meaning of 'sudden' or 'abrupt'.