露つゆ

つ

ゆ

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

noun

dew

Water droplets that form on cool surfaces overnight. Also used poetically.

朝あさ、草くさの葉はに露つゆが光ひかっていた。
In the morning, dew glistened on the blades of grass.

noun

tears

Figurative use, likening tears to dew. Common in literary or poetic contexts.

彼かの女じょの頬ほほに露つゆが伝つたった。
Tears ran down her cheeks.

adverb

(not) a bit; (not) at all

Used with a negative predicate to mean 'not even a little'. Often in the phrase 露ほども...ない or 露知らず.

Usage patterns

露つゆが降おりるdew forms/settles
朝あさ、庭にわの草くさに露つゆが降おりていた。
Dew had settled on the grass in the garden this morning.
〈事こと〉を露つゆほども...ないnot even the slightest bit of ~
彼かれはそのことを露つゆほども知しらなかった。
He didn't know even the slightest bit about that.
〈物もの〉に露つゆがつくdew forms on something
葉はっぱに露つゆがついて光ひかっている。
Dew has formed on the leaves and is glistening.

Expressions

朝あしたの露つゆmorning dew
袂たもとの露つゆtears on the sleeves of one's kimono; weeping copiously
露つゆ知しらずnot knowing at all; completely unaware; without the slightest idea
雨あめ露つゆをしのぐprotect against the elements; shelter from the weather

Kanji

露dew, tears, expose

Related words

涙なみだN4sense 2
涙 is the ordinary word for tears, while 露 is a poetic metaphor likening tears to dewdrops.
少すこしもN3sense 3
少しも...ない is the everyday way to say 'not at all', while 露...ない is a literary, old-fashioned equivalent.
だし
だし is the plain, unseasoned Japanese stock, while つゆ is a seasoned broth or dipping sauce that often uses だし as its base.
水すい滴てきN2
水滴 refers to any droplet of water regardless of origin, whereas 露 specifically means the dew that forms on plants and surfaces overnight.
霜しもN3
露 is dew that stays liquid, while 霜 is the same moisture after it has frozen into ice crystals.

Don't confuse with

梅雨つゆN3
露 (つゆ) means 'dew' and is an unrelated word that just happens to share the same reading as 梅雨 (つゆ), the rainy season.
汁しるN2
露 (つゆ) means dew on plants, while 汁 (つゆ) with the same reading means dipping sauce or noodle broth.

Counted with

滴てき sense 1
露 is counted with 滴 when referring to individual dewdrops, as in 露が一滴.

Word family· 18

白しら露つゆ
glistening dew; white dew · White Dew solar term
夜よ露つゆ
evening dew; night dew
朝あさ露つゆ
morning dew
露つゆ払はらい
person who clears the way; outrider; forerunner · opening performer; warm-up act · sumo wrestler who leads a yokozuna at his ring-entering ceremony
ツユクサ
Asiatic dayflower

Show 10 more

下した露つゆ
dew under trees; dew dripping from trees
露つゆ寒さむ
cold at the end of autumn when dew turns to frost
ツユムシ
sickle-bearing bush-cricket
露つゆ霜じも
frozen dew · frost and dew · years; time
袖そでの露つゆ
tears falling onto the sleeve
露つゆの命いのち
life as fleeting as dew
露つゆの宿やど
dew-covered lodging; place wet with dew
露つゆの間ま
moment; instant; brief time
露つゆほど
(not) even a little bit; not in the slightest
露つゆの宿やどり
house covered with dew; place covered with dew

See all 18 in Explore →

Written forms

露つゆUsage83%
Standard kanji spelling for dew and related figurative uses.
つゆUsage17%
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially for the adverbial sense.

Etymology

The kanji 露 means 'dew' and is used for its literal meaning as well as metaphorically for tears and for the adverbial sense of 'a tiny amount', drawing on the image of a small, fleeting dewdrop.