Definitions

léi (noun) thunder; lightning
léi (noun) mine (explosive device)

Etymology

Depicts rain () and lightning () together.

About

The character 雷, representing thunder, is structured with the semantic component 雨 (rain) positioned above 田 (field), a form consistent in its traditional iteration. Etymologically, the 田 element originally functioned to depict the rolling sound of thunder, though it later stabilized as a phonetic indicator within the compound. Over time, the character's primary meaning has remained tied to the meteorological event, while also acquiring verbal applications such as "to thunder" and adjectival uses conveying intensity or loudness in compound words.

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)
Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Mid Western Zhou (~900 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)
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 Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Cao Wei (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

声很大。

Léi shēng hěn dà.

The thunder is very loud.

今天下午可能会打

Jīntiān xiàwǔ kěnéng huì dǎléi.

It might thunder this afternoon.

电交加的夜晚很可怕。

Léidiàn jiāojiā de yèwǎn hěn kěpà.

The night with thunder and lightning is terrifying.

汽车的达系统很先进。

Qìchē de léidá xìtǒng hěn xiānjìn.

The car's radar system is very advanced.

士兵小心地排除了地

Shìbīng xiǎoxīn de páichúle dìléi.

The soldier carefully removed the landmine.

天气预报说晚上有雨。

Tiānqì yùbào shuō wǎnshang yǒu léiyǔ.

The weather forecast says there will be a thunderstorm tonight.

抗日战争中使用了手

Kàng Rì Zhànzhēng zhōng shǐyòngle shǒuléi.

Grenades were used during the War of Resistance against Japan.

这两篇论文有同之处。

Zhè liǎng piān lùnwén yǒu léitóng zhī chù.

These two theses have identical parts.