軽けい震しん

け

い

し

ん

Meanings

weak earthquake; light earthquake

Refers to an earthquake of low intensity, typically one that is barely felt or causes minimal shaking. Often used in news reports and seismic terminology.

昨さく夜や、関かん東とう地ち方ほうで軽けい震しんが観かん測そくされた。
A weak earthquake was observed in the Kanto region last night.
軽けい震しんでは被ひ害がいはほとんど出でない。
A light earthquake causes almost no damage.

Usage patterns

〈場ば所しょ〉で軽けい震しんが発はっ生せいするa weak earthquake occurs in 〈場所〉
今日きょうの朝あさ、関かん東とう地ち方ほうで軽けい震しんが発はっ生せいした。
A weak earthquake occurred in the Kanto region this morning.
軽けい震しんを観かん測そくするto observe/record a weak earthquake
気き象しょう庁ちょうはこの地ち域いきで軽けい震しんを観かん測そくした。
The Meteorological Agency recorded a weak earthquake in this area.

Kanji

軽lightly, trifling, unimportant
震quake, shake, tremble

Opposites

激げき震しん
激震 describes a violent, highly destructive earthquake, the opposite extreme from the barely-felt 軽震.
強きょう震しん
強震 refers to a strong, clearly felt earthquake, standing in contrast to the mild 軽震.

Don't confuse with

微び震しん
微震 denotes an even fainter tremor than 軽震, often imperceptible, while 軽震 is a slightly stronger but still weak shake.
弱じゃく震しん
弱震 is the older seismic-scale term for a somewhat stronger shake than 軽震, and the two are easily confused in historical reports.

Counted with

回かいN4
Earthquakes are naturally counted as occurrences/instances, not with a special object counter.
度どN4
Can also be counted as an occurrence, especially in more formal or reporting style.

Etymology

Compound of 軽 (light, slight) and 震 (earthquake, tremor). The term is used in modern Japanese seismic intensity scales to describe low-level shaking.