雷(かみなり)

かみなり

noun

thunder, lightning

1. thunder

The sound caused by lightning.

雷(かみなり)が鳴(な)っている。

Thunder is rumbling.

遠(とお)くで雷(かみなり)の音(おと)が聞(き)こえる。

I can hear the sound of thunder in the distance.

雷(かみなり)が怖(こわ)くて、布団(ふとん)の中(なか)に隠(かく)れた。

I was scared of the thunder and hid under the covers.

2. lightning

A flash of light in the sky during a storm.

雷(かみなり)が落(お)ちた。

Lightning struck.

雷(かみなり)が光(ひか)った。

Lightning flashed.

急(きゅう)に空(そら)が暗(くら)くなって雷(かみなり)が光(ひか)り始(はじ)めたので、急(いそ)いで家(いえ)に帰(かえ)った。

The sky suddenly got dark and lightning started flashing, so I hurried home.

雷(かみなり) covers both thunder (the sound) and lightning (the flash). Japanese does not typically distinguish between them the way English does.

Etymology

神(かみ) (god) + 鳴(な)り (rumbling) — "the rumbling of the gods."

Common patterns

雷(かみなり)が鳴(な)る: thunder rumbles
雷(かみなり)が光(ひか)る: lightning flashes
雷(かみなり)が落(お)ちる: lightning strikes (literally); also: to get yelled at severely

Usage

雷(かみなり)親父(おやじ): a strict, quick-tempered father
先生(せんせい)の雷(かみなり)が落(お)ちた: the teacher blew up at someone

Compounds

落雷(らくらい): lightning strike
雷雨(らいう): thunderstorm
雷鳴(らいめい): thunder (literary)

Related Words

Related: 稲妻(いなずま) (lightning (poetic))

Compare: 稲光(いなびかり) (flash of lightning)

general

Added 2026.1.9 21:42 · Revised 2026.9.30 2:42

02000/02197_kaminari