霆

tíng

廷 + 雨

Definitions

tíng clap of thunder

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 雨 represents the meaning and 廷 represents the sound.

Semantic: 雨 Phonetic: 廷

About

霆 is a phono-semantic compound: the radical 雨 (rain) at the top indicates its meaning belongs to the semantic category of weather and storms, while the component 廷 at the bottom supplies the sound. The character denotes a sudden, violent clap of thunder or a severe thunderstorm, distinguished from ordinary thunder by its extreme intensity and abrupt, explosive volume. Because of its connotations of overwhelming force and lightning speed, it is often employed in martial, military, and literary contexts to portray swift, crushing strikes, furious anger, or actions that land with the unstoppable power of a thunderbolt.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Cao Wei (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

天空中有雷霆作响。

Tiānkōng zhōng yǒu léitíng zuò xiǎng.

There is thunder roaring in the sky.

雷霆的声音很大。

Léitíng de shēngyīn hěn dà.

The sound of thunder is very loud.

雷霆劈中了那棵树。

Léitíng pī zhòng le nà kē shù.

The thunderbolt struck that tree.

风暴带来了雷霆和闪电。

Fēngbào dài lái le léitíng hé shǎndiàn.

The storm brought thunder and lightning.

在雷霆之后，往往会有暴雨。

Zài léitíng zhīhòu, wǎngwǎng huì yǒu bàoyǔ.

After thunder, there is often heavy rain.

他的怒吼如雷霆。

Tā de nù hǒu rú léitíng.

His angry roar is like thunder.

他的演讲富有雷霆般的力量。

Tā de yǎnjiǎng fùyǒu léitíng bān de lìliàng.

His speech has thunder-like power.

古代神话中，雷神掌管雷霆。

Gǔdài shénhuà zhōng, léishén zhǎngguǎn léitíng.

In ancient mythology, the thunder god controls thunder.

Related Characters

Component: 廷

Component: 雨

霆