霜柱(しもばしら)

しもばしら
noun
frost pillars; ice needles
weathertime-season
1. frost pillars; ice needles
needle-like ice crystals that form in soil when moisture in the ground freezes and pushes up through the surface
霜柱(しもばしら)を踏(ふ)むとサクサクと音(おと)がする。
When you step on frost pillars, they make a crunchy sound.
今朝(けさ)は冷(ひ)え込(こ)んで霜柱(しもばしら)ができていた。
It was so cold this morning that frost pillars had formed.
子供(こども)の頃(ころ)は霜柱(しもばしら)を踏(ふ)むのが好(す)きだった。
When I was a child, I liked stepping on frost pillars.

Winter phenomenon

霜柱(しもばしら) forms when:
1. The ground temperature is below freezing
2. The air temperature is slightly above freezing
3. Moisture in the soil freezes and expands upward

Appearance

霜柱(しもばしら) looks like small ice needles or pillars pushing up from the soil. They can lift small rocks and soil particles.

Childhood memory

Stepping on 霜柱(しもばしら) and hearing the satisfying crunch is a nostalgic winter experience for many Japanese people.

Formation conditions

  • Clear, cold winter nights
  • Exposed soil (not covered by snow)
  • Adequate soil moisture
  • Common from late autumn to early spring

Related words

Related Words

Related: 氷(こおり) (ice)
Related: 凍(こお)る (to freeze)
Related: 氷柱(つらら) (icicle)
general
Added 2026.1.27 20:29 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
08500/08560_shimobashira