雷鳴(らいめい)

USAGE: 雷鳴(らいめい) is a more literary or formal word for thunder compared to 雷(かみなり).

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

• 雷鳴(らいめい)が轟(とどろ)く (thunder rumbles)
• 雷鳴(らいめい)が鳴(な)り響(ひび)く (thunder resounds)
• 雷鳴(らいめい)が聞(き)こえる (to hear thunder)

RELATED TERMS:

• 雷(かみなり) - thunder (more common, colloquial)
• 稲光(いなびかり) - lightning flash
• 稲妻(いなずま) - lightning bolt
• 落雷(らくらい) - lightning strike
• 雷雨(らいう) - thunderstorm

COMPARISON: While 雷(かみなり) can refer to both thunder and lightning, 雷鳴(らいめい) specifically refers only to the sound of thunder.