五月雨さみだれ

noun

early-summer rain; rainy season rain

Refers to the intermittent rain typical of the early summer rainy season (tsuyu) in Japan, often with a poetic or literary feel.

• 五月雨さみだれがしとしとと降ふり続つづいている。

  The early-summer rain is falling gently and persistently.

• この時じ期きは五月雨さみだれのせいで洗せん濯たく物ものが乾かわかない。

  At this time of year, the laundry won't dry because of the rainy-season rain.