thunderclap; sudden peal of thunder
Formal or literary term for a sudden, loud thunderclap. Not used in everyday conversation; more common in written descriptions or elevated speech.
迅雷が轟き、空が裂けたように感じられた。
A thunderclap roared, and it felt as if the sky had been torn apart.
with lightning speed; swift as the wind and rapid as thunder
violent thunder and fierce wind; rapidly changing situation; swift action
Compound of 迅 (swift, sudden) and 雷 (thunder). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the kanji combination directly conveys the meaning of a swift, sudden thunderclap.