Definitions

(noun) rain

Etymology

Pictograph of rain falling from a cloud.

About

The character 雨 is a pictograph depicting rain falling from the sky. Its top horizontal stroke represents the heavens, the central frame suggests an overarching cloud, and the four interior dots illustrate falling raindrops. This structure forms the basis for many weather-related characters, serving as a semantic radical for phenomena like snow, hail, and clouds. Its core meaning as a noun for rain or a verb for precipitating has remained remarkably stable throughout history.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

今天下了。

Jīntiān xià yǔ le.

It rained today.

下得很大。

Yǔ xià de hěn dà.

The rain is falling heavily.

我喜欢下天。

Wǒ xǐhuān xià yǔ tiān.

I like rainy days.

后空气很清新。

Yǔ hòu kōngqì hěn qīngxīn.

The air is very fresh after rain.

这场持续了三天。

Zhè chǎng yǔ chíxù le sān tiān.

This rain lasted for three days.

水滋润了干旱的土地。

Yǔshuǐ zīrùn le gānhàn de tǔdì.

The rainwater moistened the dry land.

由于下,比赛被推迟了。

Yóuyú xià yǔ, bǐsài bèi tuīchí le.

Due to rain, the match was postponed.

季,这里经常下

Zài yǔjì, zhèlǐ jīngcháng xià yǔ.

During the rainy season, it often rains here.