noun
Refers to a temporary pause or letup, especially in rain or other continuous phenomena. Often used in the phrase 小止みなく (without a break). The reading おやみ is less common.
雨が小止みになった。
The rain let up for a while.
小止みなく雪が降り続いている。
The snow keeps falling without a break.
Search-only kanji form; not a standard spelling.
Kana spelling is common when the kanji is not needed.
止み間 also means a lull or break in rain, but is more common and neutral. 小止み often implies a shorter or lighter pause.
Compound of 小 (ko, 'small') and 止み (yami, 'stopping'), literally 'small stop'. The reading おやみ is a variant, possibly from an older or dialectal form.