霰(あられ)

あられ
noun
hail; sleet; graupel
1. hail; sleet; graupel
Small pellets of ice that fall from the sky, smaller than hailstones (雹).
霰(あられ)が降(ふ)ってきた。
Hail started to fall.
霰(あられ)が窓(まど)に当(あ)たる音(おと)がする。
I can hear hail hitting the window.
冬(ふゆ)の日本海側(にほんかいがわ)では霰(あられ)が多(おお)い。
There's a lot of sleet on the Japan Sea side in winter.

霰(あられ) refers to small ice pellets that fall from clouds, technically called graupel. Distinct from 雹(ひょう) (hailstones), which are larger.

SIZE DISTINCTION:

  • 霰(あられ): ice pellets under 5mm in diameter
  • 雹(ひょう): hailstones 5mm or larger

RELATED WEATHER TERMS:

  • 雹(ひょう): hail (larger, more damaging)
  • 霙(みぞれ): sleet (rain and snow mix)
  • 雪(ゆき): snow
  • 吹雪(ふぶき): blizzard

COMMON PATTERNS:

  • 霰(あられ)が降(ふ)る: hail falls
  • 霰(あられ)が降(ふ)ってくる: hail starts falling

OTHER MEANING:
あられ also refers to small cube-shaped rice crackers (霰(あられ)餅(もち)), named for their resemblance to hail pellets. Common in the 日本海(にほんかい)側(がわ) (Sea of Japan side) during winter.

Related Words

Contrast: 雹(ひょう) (hail (larger, 5mm+))
Related: 霙(みぞれ) (sleet (rain + snow))
Related: 雪(ゆき) (snow)
Related: 吹雪(ふぶき) (blizzard)
general
Added 2026.1.16 14:48 · Revised 2026.4.14 12:22
05000/05392_arare